Army Nurse Candidate Program FY2011

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Any one out there pursuing the army nurse candidate program for this next fiscal year coming up? I am currently patiently awaiting hearing back to see if I am accepted to the RN to BSN program to start spring semester 2011, but I know time is getting short to apply for this next fiscal year. I'm just wondering if anyone can give any insight into the prospects for this next fiscal year, or into how the program works in general? Do these slots fill up as quickly as the commissioning slots? Do you tend to get the bonus quickly, or does it take a while? Would ROTC be a better option (although through the local program, I wouldn't be able to start until Fall of next year)? As mentioned briefly above, I already have my RN and have been a nurse for 5 years now. I am very interested in the military, but the dilemma is affording my BSN without taking out a bunch of student loans. And just a side question, how easy is it to get away from hospital nursing in the military; to do administration or a clinic or case management instead? Any help or insight anyone can give would be greatly appreciated!

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I am applying for the Army Nurse Candidate Program and My recruiter told me that the packet cut off for boards was either this week or next (mine is already in so did not write it down). Packets then go to board for review in September and from there to the selection board in October. NCP only boards once a year, so you may be too late for this year at this point if you do not already have your packet in.

My recruiter also said that there are about 50-60 packets in our seven-state area that are competing for 10-12 slots so it is a competitive entry to this program as well.

Can't help with the other questions as I have not gotten in yet myself :)

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what were your gpa and asvab scores?

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I haven't taken the ASVAB, I didn't know that was needed for commissioning. My current GPA is 3.36.

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i didnt for it i had previously and they had to call meps and get it and look at 2 of the line scores. I didnt know either.

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DirtyDave,

Were you the one applying for the navy program? If so, are you a navy nurse now? How is it like to be a Navy Nurse?

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No I have my packet done for both the navy and army nurse candidate program. I still have 2 years of school left at UNMC.

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I had to retake the ASVAB for the Nurse Candidate Program. I had taken it previously when I enlisted, but the score was over 10 years old, so they made me retest... got a higher score anyway :p

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Hey, I'm in the ANCP and just graduated. I was in the program for about a year and a half. It's a great program. Can't give you much insight into how this next fiscal year is going to work, but yes, slots do fill up fast and it is very competitive. You will need to take the ASVAB in order to complete your application.

The ANCP program itself is pretty straightforward. You enlist so that the military can pay you and that's when you sign your contract. I got $1,000 a month for a stipend and my $10,000 signing bonus came within about 3 months of signing. Of course, you'll probably get only about $7,000 of your signing bonus due to taxes, but hey, better than nothing. ANCP is a much better option than ROTC. I tried to do ROTC and pre-nursing together and it didn't work out. I had to keep splitting my attention between ROTC and a rigorous college schedule, and neither nursing or the military is something you should only be paying half your attention to. My grades kept dropping and the ROTC kept having to make scheduling exceptions for me due to pre-nursing classes and requirements, and soon it became clear that the schedules were not going to match up, I was going to miss out on huge requirements (like LDAC) and it was just going to be more trouble than it was worth and probably set me back a year or so in school. I got into the ANCP and all has been well. Now I'm waiting to pass my commissioning physical, take the NCLEX, and I'll be off to WRAMC!

Any questions about ANCP, just shout!

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So if I don't end up doing ANCP, and decide to go for a direct commission (as this program is SO much cheaper than the first RN to BSN program I was in; and still accredited) can anyone tell me if I will need to take the ASVAB then? Not a big deal either way, as I only missed one question on the practice, but I would just like to know what to expect.

By the way, thanks for all the info thus far!! It's good to get a reminder every now and then that nurses don't always eat their own! :yeah:

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Specializes in EMT, ER, Homehealth, OR.

Officers do not take the ASVAB.

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Officers do not take the ASVAB.

The ASVAB may not be required for direct commissioned Officers (or those commissioned through other means) but it is a required element for application to the Army Nurse Candidate Program. (possibly because candidates are enlisted in the IRR while in the program).

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