Advice on how to be a more competitive nursing school candidate?

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Hello all! I'm currently waiting to apply to nursing school for 2014, I applied this year and unfortunately was rejected. As you all know, it's cut-throat competition and I'm trying to make myself become a more competitive candidate. I'm currently active duty Air Force aircraft mechanic, married with 2 small children, so my time/schedule is limited, and I'd like to get the most bang for my buck, and not waste anytime working on courses/classes that won't help me in the long run (especially with my T.A possibly getting taken away in Oct). I've completed all required nursing school pre-reqs, as well as my direct transfer degree in Pre-nursing (basically an AA degree that directly transfers to a 4 year college as a Junior). I've been looking at either working towards my B.S. in Psychology or a B.A. in Healthcare Management, as well as knock out my CNA license.

My questions are, does anyone know if one degree is looked at more favorably than the other? When I applied last year, there were approximately 480 applicants, which dropped to 300 for their proctored essay with 96 slots issued out. My grades are 3.8 for pre-reqs, 3.4 overall. One pre-req was to have at least 100 hours of volunteer/paid work in a clinical setting in a 3 month period. I was able to accrue approx 130 hours, but most applicants had 1,000s. With my job, I don't have that opportunity, so anything else I can do to make myself more competitive/marketable, I'm going to do.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated!

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Im on the same page as you. I applied to uw and didn't get in, I have about 500 hrs of volunteer experience. Im thinking that my gpa is a bit low, my overall was a 3.46 and pre-reqs was 3.25. The only thing I can do now is to work as a cna and get my gpa up and write a better personal statement. As long as we dont give up, we will get somewhere!

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Yep I was also rejected for uw...the no feedback is so frustrating!!

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It took me 3 years to finally get accepted. First of all I live in Oregon which is all point systems for applications. After getting my associates I applied for 2 years with a 3.7 GPA to both ADN and BSN programs and was not accepted.

I then got my CNA and worked for just shy of two years while finishing my B.S. Sociology from Portland State University. I re-took the two prereqs I had B's in so at most schools I applied to I had a 4.0 in my prereqs some I had a 3.91.

I applied this year to OHSU and was accepted to there traditional BSN program. It took nearly 6 years though.

I met with a few advisers from some of the schools I was interested in and most of them suggested I get a bachelors in a social science versus the hard sciences, because it tends to give applicants a different perspective than other students but I don't know how much any one degree matters. Good luck and keep your head up, you'll get there!

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Is it possible for you to cross train into something medical?

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Become a CNA first. if you are working in the health care field it looks good on your application. I was a CNA for two years wile I was doing my PRE- req. and the experience helped out alot. It also gives you a better network to get letters of recognition’s to put on your application. While I was in nursing school nothing was new to me because I had heard it all before and the nurses I worked with explained alot to me and what they did to get into nursing school. best of luck and keep trying.

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3 years?! Wow! I admire you! After getting 3 rejection letters, I ask myself is this is what I really want to do. Am I that bad? Is this all worth it? But now, im still stiving! There a times when I feel like I don't know anything about being a nurse. I will not give up though. Ill do what it takes to get me where I want to be.

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You know it was so hard after the first two years, but I just decided to take the rejection to push myself. IT WILL PAY OFF, I promise! We have all been at the point when we are second guessing ourselves, I even explored other career options, just keep it up. I am excited to start my program FINALLY!

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Thank you all for the advice and encouragement! I don't want to cross train, as that would put me back to a 3 level, and the time for upgrade, probable PCS, (husband is also active duty). Plus, if I did, they may not release me from my career field, especially after paying all that $ to cross train me to begin with. I think I'm def. going to get my CNA license, and work towards my healthcare admin degree through Ashford University, I can still volunteer time as a CNA to get my hours and just apply again. The worst they can tell me is no, but I won't know until I try again. You guys rock, big kudos to Kveeda, I love your determination! Very inspiring :)

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You have to have volunteer hours to get into nursing school?

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The only other thing I'd add is to include letters of reference from medical professionals and from the teachers who taught your most difficult prereq classes.

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I'm only allowed to submit 1 letter of reference & that's from the nurse that I would have volunteered under/worked under in order to get my requirement of at least 100 hours in a clinical setting. The school I'm applying to requires the hours (University of Washington, Seattle), I don't think most nursing schools require that.

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