Is grad school really this hard to get into?

Nursing Students NP Students

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Greetings!

Soooo after Georgetown kept haunting me to apply, I ended up not getting accepted. Waiting on Univ of Cincinnati (online) acceptance. I never knew graduate school would be this hard to get into. I never had issues with applying to a school I wanted and getting accepted. Feeling down, and needing a little encouragement.

Specializes in ED.

Dont feel down lady..I cannot tell you how many times I was denied acceptance into grad school. I never stopped applying. This year I was accepted into 2 grad programs and put on a waiting list for one. Don't give up because God is still in the business of making ways for people where men have said there is no way. Depend on God and keep applying. He will eventually make a way for you like He did for me this year and trust me it will be BEAUTIFUL!

I had a 4.0 and applied to Frontier and didn't get in.

I have no idea of what these schools are looking for and I HIGHLY believe they are discriminating against older nurses.

I had a 4.0 and applied to Frontier and didn't get in.

I have no idea of what these schools are looking for and I HIGHLY believe they are discriminating against older nurses.

I really think that the essays and work experience applicants bring to the table have as much sway in the acceptance process as a 4.0 GPA has, maybe more. I will be in my early 50's when I start FNP and I have not felt my age is a deterent at all.

Specializes in family nurse practitioner.

Jory. My friend says the same thing. She had a 4.0 too, but she thinks its because she is heavy...

Guess you never can tell. She applied twice and got turned down both times there. I think they want nurses with out patient / office experience myself.

Specializes in family nurse practitioner.

Jory. My friend says the same thing. She had a 4.0 too, but she thinks its because she is heavy...

Guess you never can tell. She applied twice and got turned down both times there. I think they want nurses with out patient / office experience myself.

I mean, I'll be the first to admit I'm on the sour grapes side...but I know my essays were good because I had run them by several academic professors before I turned them in. I worked in a critical care unit for a few years and I have seen many posts of nurses that barely had a year of experience that were accepted, some with a much lower GPA. Go figure on that one.

Specializes in family nurse practitioner.

I know. Thats what my friend said as well. It would be nice to know the reason why they are choosing them over the experienced nurses with 4.0's and excellent essays. My friends essay was absolutely excellent and she has 6 years of in and out patient experience and she still did not get accepted. I think they have an overwhelming about of applicants as well. Have you applied else where? You sound like a perfect fit for the NP world :)

I mean, I'll be the first to admit I'm on the sour grapes side...but I know my essays were good because I had run them by several academic professors before I turned them in. I worked in a critical care unit for a few years and I have seen many posts of nurses that barely had a year of experience that were accepted, some with a much lower GPA. Go figure on that one.

I feel the same way Jory. I have been denied acceptance into 3 different universities. One of which I received my BSN from and graduated with honors (3.7). I am so frustrated with the application process. I feel as though some of the applicants must know someone on the admission committee. Because it makes no sense why nurses with minimum experience are admitted while nurses with more experience are denied. As stated above, I have a 3.7 gpa, 9 years of nursing experience in both primary and acute care.

I know there a differing opinions on diploma mills, but, with my situation, I don't know what else to do. It is so disappointing and depressing to get rejection letter after rejection letter. The only explanation that I received was a high volume of applicants. I feel as though they should, at minimum, give you an explanation as to what needs to be improved.

I have decided to apply to Walden University. I know it is a diploma mill, but at this point I am so frustrated and just want to be done with this process.

Specializes in ..

One thing I might suggest is to look at some of the smaller, lesser known universities. Many times they are glad to have people apply. It takes some searching and many do offer hybrid or completely online options. If it is a national, household name, likely too many people will be applying. At a smaller university you can often call the dept. secretary, get someone's actual name and extension and talk to the faculty directly. I chose a smaller uni over some of the better known ones and could not be happier, not to mention it is quite a bit cheaper. Get a list of all the uni's in your state and check which offer graduate nursing or search for "Division two schools" and this will give you a list of smaller universities throughout the country. You could search "Division one schools" and look into some of the lesser known ones listed. The schools are out there and want students. I found two in my state that I didn't even know had programs. Truly leave no stone unturned.

Specializes in ..

BTW,

Some state BON's have a listing of all nursing schools in the state with NCLEX pass rates...these will usually list the highest degree offered by the school. Check any on the list for NP programs. If it is not offered online, ask about the possibility of doing so with recorded or streamed lectures. Leave no stone unturned.

I feel the same way Jory. I have been denied acceptance into 3 different universities. One of which I received my BSN from and graduated with honors (3.7). I am so frustrated with the application process. I feel as though some of the applicants must know someone on the admission committee. Because it makes no sense why nurses with minimum experience are admitted while nurses with more experience are denied. As stated above, I have a 3.7 gpa, 9 years of nursing experience in both primary and acute care.

I know there a differing opinions on diploma mills, but, with my situation, I don't know what else to do. It is so disappointing and depressing to get rejection letter after rejection letter. The only explanation that I received was a high volume of applicants. I feel as though they should, at minimum, give you an explanation as to what needs to be improved.

I have decided to apply to Walden University. I know it is a diploma mill, but at this point I am so frustrated and just want to be done with this process.

Well, one thing I will say about Walden...most of the professors in my ADN program had MSN's from there and I know of a Dean at a local college that also had her PhD from there.

The reason that I think there is a degree of discrimination going on is that out of all the graduate schools that I applied to, Frontier was the only one that asked for a martial status and dependents, which i find odd. You can't ask those questions at a job interview, therefore I think they should be illegal questions/options to select on a college application--optional or not. They have absolutely nothing to do with your academic success or failure.

I have also seen posts (and this is NOT a slam against those that got in...please don't think it is) from those that were personally called by the school and asked for additional information...if their application didn't contain what they were looking for, then why didn't they just move on to the next candidate? Why give some the opportunity others were not given?

It would be nice if someone on AN was either currently or previously involved with the admissions process at Frontier...it would solve a lot of the mystery. But it's one that I probably won't solve in my lifetime.

I think a big part of it is that NP is a really hot career right now. Nursing, more generally, has gotten obscenely competitive, at all levels. Best of luck to you guys.

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