NP school in Ontario with low GPA

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Hi I am seeking advice on NP school in Ontario. I really want to become an NP but my GPA is just above 3.0. Final year in nursing was 3.5, but the former year was below 3.0. My transcript looks disastrous...

I know it is a competitive admission process. I am wondering...

1. Should I take some undergrad/grad courses to boost my GPA?

2. Should I look into US NP schools as well? I have US RN license too.

3. Some NP schools are giving preference to a candidate who has "continuous nursing experience". I moved to the US during my carrier and worked in different field. I also did not work while I had babies. I worry that this may add another drawback in my application.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

I have the same cGPA and am interested in NP school too.

Do you have experience in your desired program stream though? I feel like relevant experience and references would be a large part of the selection process.

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Hi CanadianRN16, it is good to know that someone is in the same boat with me :)

Yes I worked in a clinic for about 2 years which led me to consider becoming a PHCNP. I should be able to obtain good references from my supervisors (MD) and manager at the clinic. I cannot provide academic reference as I graduated 10 years ago.

Some schools require higher than B+ average...which immediately fails me :( I am in the process of selecting schools to apply for.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

Which Canadian schools require that? In Ontario, even U of T has minimum GPA of 3.0.

I'm currently working in Long Term Care and plan on spending time up north. The NP at my work offered to give me a reference when I apply for graduate programs. My focus is to boost my non-academic credentials.

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Western is asking for B+ or higher. Admissions & Applying - Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing - Western University

I am sure I saw another school with the same criteria. U of T is super competitive. Even though min GPA is 3.0 I don't think that is enough.

It is great that you have an NP offering to be your reference. This was not in Ontario but in the US, there were NP schools preferring NPs/RNs to be a reference instead of MDs when I was searching schools in the states. And the reason being nurses can evaluate peer nurses better than other professions, which I agree. I would assume there are admission committees in Ontario schools who think the same.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.
Western is asking for B+ or higher. Admissions & Applying - Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing - Western University

I am sure I saw another school with the same criteria. U of T is super competitive. Even though min GPA is 3.0 I don't think that is enough.

It is great that you have an NP offering to be your reference. This was not in Ontario but in the US, there were NP schools preferring NPs/RNs to be a reference instead of MDs when I was searching schools in the states. And the reason being nurses can evaluate peer nurses better than other professions, which I agree. I would assume there are admission committees in Ontario schools who think the same.

I agree. Ideally I want to apply to the University of Ottawa, they have a solid Primary Health Care program.

You also have to factor in the pool of applicants at your time of application. If you meet the minimum requirements and have the money for the application, it never hurts to try. Right?

I was speaking with a GP the other day about becoming a NP, and he told me to consider medical school. They like NPs because of their knowledge/ experience and they know what they are getting into as a medical professional. So I don't see why that wouldn't correlate to NP programs and why your years of nursing/ life experience would be a hinderance to you, especially if you have a convincing essay explaining your drive to become a NP.

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Specializes in geriatrics.

GPA isn't everything if you have strong references, a solid letter of intent and work experience. However, it depends on your cohorts at the time.

The average GPA of the students in my MPH program is 3.6

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There are physicians who don't get the idea of NPs (I personally know and worked with one of those)...but I think this professional field is going to expand and will be more widely recognized/demanded in the future.

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GPA isn't everything if you have strong references, a solid letter of intent and work experience. However, it depends on your cohorts at the time.

The average GPA of the students in my MPH program is 3.6

Yes, 3.6 is about what I am expecting to be the average GPA of successful candidates. That is why I am trying to plan my strategies to widen the chance of getting in...

How many work experiences do they usually have?

Who are the referees that have most impact?

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Specializes in Nurse Practitioner.

GPA isn't everything, I was stressing out about my GPA (3.35) when I was applying to NP schools in Ontario, but I got offers from all the 5 NP programs I applied to. It is a good thing that your final year GPA is better than previous years, it shows that you were progressing and that you would continue to progress in NP school. Make sure to write a strong letter of intent and get good references. Some schools also request interviews so be prepared for that. I think you should at least try to apply as soon as possible and if you don't get in, then you can start taking classes to boost up your GPA. If you have other questions, feel free to ask.

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Specializes in geriatrics.

The school generally requests 2 academic references and one from an employer. Make sure that whoever you have asked to write a reference is able to provide you with a stellar reference.

Also, your letter of intent needs to be strong. That's why GPA isn't everything. A high GPA and a poorly written letter of intent will not gain admission.

Work experience varies. Some students have minimal work experience, some have 3-5 years, others have 10+ years.

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I recently attended an information session in Toronto that included NP for combined masters and certificate. Key messages were:

1) very competitive (30 seats for all cohorts (combined masters and certificate) for this school);

2) holding a masters degree gives you an edge in the admissions process;

3) shift away from nursing dx to medical dx;

4) half the preceptors are physicians (which I found kind of interesting but made sense from a medical perspective);

5) the program is designed like a mini-medical school;

6) the required GPA is a minimum standard for admissions to look at the application (the speaker stated to save your money if it doesn't meet the minimum requirement);

7) one of the references should be able to evaluate your strong assessments skills;

8) upgrading of courses were not counted into GPA calculations;

9) maintaining the NP license was the most difficult because it is challenging for NPs to practice to their full scope.

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