Applying for Nursing School With Military Background

Sour Lemon · Sep 25, 2016

Hello, my name is Anthony, I am entering my 7th year in the United States Navy. I am on my last class before applying to Nursing School in Florida, and am curious if a military background will have a large, small, or no advantage when applying. I currently have a 3.0 GPA and was told I need basically a perfect GPA to get accepted. Can anyone provide insight please? Thank you.

Programs calculate eligibility in different ways. Mine considered the GPA of hard sciences only and I got into school as an alternate with a 3.7.

Trauma Columnist · Sep 26, 2016

Moved to prenursing.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Oct 2, 2016

What do you do in the Army?

Buyer beware, BSN · Oct 2, 2016

Just be careful and apply to reputable schools. You are a military guy with a good record. As such you know you have wonderful educational benefits. That's a good thing.

The only thing I would want you to be aware of is that since your military benefits will pay 100% of your tuition costs, that makes the predatory for-profit schools in Florida smell blood and they will want to recruit you. Don't fall for the marketing, the false promises and their one school is as good as another approach.

Remember to them you are just a number to be "seated". Go to reputable schools with standards. One that doesn't have a track record of preying on our military vets.

To the point: the now defunct ITT tech was just one of these for-profits and Florida is chock full of these characters. (career colleges indeed)

Go to (collegescorecard.ed.gov) to start investegating schools.

There you can find graduation and retention rates. These metrics are the best indicators of whether a school has a mission to turn out respected nurses or is merely a for-profit/VA dipping loan mill.

Good luck, as a Vet I wish all good things to come your way Anthony.