the joy and pain of applying to schools!

[apaisRN, RN, CRNA]

So the time has come - I'm ready to apply. I remember when applying to undergrad there were books that told you how many applicants the school historically had and what percentage was accepted. Is this information available anywhere for CRNA programs? I feel kind of weird shooting off applications with no idea how I might do.

And while we're at it - how do those of you who have been through this think I might do? I.e., am I going to get in??!!

ME:

- one year general surgery nursing

- six month paid internship in critical care, including didactic and clinical, 6 college credits (this came after the year of med/surg)

- One year independent ICU practice, will be 2 years when I matriculate

- I work in a medical/cardiac tertiary care ICU with many vents, a-lines, central lines. Few swans. Moderate use of vasoactive drugs.

- New GRE score 1410, with 5.5 out of 6 on analytical writing.

- Undergrad GPA 3.4. I haven't worked out nursing or science GPAs but they would be similar.

- Took 4 credits of general chem and 4 of organic, including lab.

- Three credits of stats and one of nursing research.

- No physics, and I don't want to!

- I think I will have good to excellent recommendations.

I have chosen 4 schools to apply to . . . my husband thinks I should do six. I want to do four and then think outside the box if I don't get in, but he thinks I should get all my recommendations at once, and apply to six so I don't get crunched for time doing a second cycle of apps.

Eeeek, I am so stressed. I can't do anything more on this until copies of my transcipts arrive. must . . . breathe . . .

thanks for any help you can offer!

[Trauma Tom]

Relax. You have everything that you need and with the experience, good grades and great GRE scores along with good recommendations I see no problem with you getting an interview. After that, it will depend how well you do during your interview. As for applying to six schools that to me would be the max. I applied to five schools which for me was a bit of a stretch. However, the 5th school was a stretch for me to get into. It was not my first choice as I did not feel I had a chance of getting in. My first choice I was not impressed by after the interview. You will find that during the interview there are some schools that will seem right to you and some that don't. I am glad I applied to the long shot. As it turned out I got an interview there and after interviewing I decided that if I got in that is where I wanted to go. I am happy to say that is where I am today. I just finished the 1st term and despite being stressed am loving it. You will do fine. Make sure after you get all your information in to the schools and that you call on them and ask if they have received all of your information. This is a very important step that many fail to do. You want to make sure after all of your hard work that you do not get passed over because of an incomplete application packet. Good luck.

[apaisRN, RN, CRNA]

When I am calculating science GPA, what counts as science? Obviously, A&P, microbiology, chem, pathophys. How about nutrition, psychology, environmental studies (yes, my BSN required this!), math, and that all-important stats course? Those could all be argued to be science, or in the case of math closely related.

[CRNA, DNSc]

Science GPA is calculated individually by programs---Your best route is to ask the program what they include in that calculation. Good Luck!