Big Reject

gooser · Feb 13, 2004

Molly, I am sorry to hear of your rejection letter. You have to keep trying and know that you are not a lesser person because of this rejection. Call the school, ask what you can do to improve your appliation next year. They will usually tell you what your weak areas are on your application and what they would recommend you do to improve.

NinaRN · Feb 13, 2004

Here is a suggestion I recieved from the college itself...If you recieve a rejection letter call to speak with a counslor. The counslor can inform you what you could try to perfect in your application.. And I don't know your situtation, but it may just be that you needed to complete more of your pre-requ. Like the bio and A&P's

Don't give up :)

richard13 · Feb 13, 2004

Don't give up!! Take some pre-req courses at the college you want to attend. Take chemistry, Patho, etc... and prove to them that you can do the work. You come this far, don't give up on it now. You still have two more out there right-you might be pleasently surprised!

Gump · Feb 13, 2004

MollyS, I personally know 3 CRNAs that got in on their 3rd attempt. Today, they are practicing and very successful!! Keep your head up and keep on keeping on!!

tcrn · Feb 13, 2004

Do not get down on yourself... it may sound cliche' but, there is a plan for every one of us. I don't know if God is telling you to find another school or what. We can just assume that when you get "THE" acceptance letter that you will appreciate it more than you would have earlier on! Plus, you have the advantage of studying more, brushing up on skills and visiting with nice people in the internet!

I too have recieved my fair share of rejection letters. And right now I am bitting my nails off as I review for my interview next week. We all need to tell ourselves to relax and focus on what the future has in store.

Good luck and keep me posted!~

Roland · Feb 13, 2004

That's why in my other thread that this is an importent question from a "game theory" perspective. That is to say would Molly S. stand a better chance of reapplying to the same schools that rejected her next year (and making any adjustments that they advise) OR would she stand a better chance by applying to a new "batch" of schools? My "hunch" is that by reapplying to the same schools (assuming that these schools are not much more difficult than average CRNA schools to gain entrance into) she would maximize her opportunities for acceptence. Optimally, I would like data to confirm my hypothesis. However, at the very least it would be nice to have some informed opinions on the matter. Maybe CRNA's who have actually lived this experience or one's that have served upon (or know about) admission board policies and procedures.

Roland · Feb 14, 2004

Molly, my last post wasn't as helpful as I would have liked. Let me see if I can offer something more concrete and helpful:

1. As stated above definitely contact the programs which rejected you to seek as much specific information about what they considered to be the strengths and weaknesses of your application. You might also wish to send them a letter thanking them for their attention and consideration.

2. As stated in a different post by Trauma Nurse, consider taking advanced NP type courses such as patho-physiology, and or pharmacy as a non-matriculating student.

3. If you have any low science grades that stand out consider retaking those courses provided that you believe that you can do better.

4. Consider taking a public speaking course or consulting with a good "image consultant" who might be able to help you improve your interviewing skills.

5. See if there are any further advanced certifications that you can acquire. I assume that you are already CCRN certified. Consider becoming certified to TEACH various certifications, at least CPR. Then consider offering low cost or FREE CPR certification at some of the institutions to which you are interested in applying (this would be a GREAT benefit for their undergraduate BSN/ASN students).

6. Try to shadow a number of CRNA's and learn something relevent to use in a future interview or essay. Even if you have to pay them (which you probably won't) for the experience.

7. If your CRNA institutions emphasize serving "rural areas" then consider finding some volunteer work in this type of location. A visiting nurse service for the aged would be one excellent possibility. Perhaps even better would be ORGANIZING such an effort if it didn't already exist (in a rural area). This would show leadership, in additon to creativity.

8. See if there are any research opportunities available at the institutions you are interested in applying with. Even if you staffed the Anatomy and Physiology study room for undergraduates on a voluntary basis for a few hours a week, this could be useful (and it's a great A&P review).

9. Consider researching and publishing (you can self publish dirt cheap these days) a book on some aspect of anesthesia, or perhaps critical care nursing (a book that challenged some of the unproven aspects of "anesthesia awareness" might not be bad). If you think it necessary seek a current CRNA to act as an assistent, and to lend credibility to your work. Perhaps you could start a newsletter for undergraduates and RN's interested in becoming CRNA's, that also kept tract of various legislative initiatives. Consider producing a segment, or series of segments for National Public Radio, they have a reputation for allowing enthusiastic amateurs to produce informative segments on subjects where they have special insite (think NURSING). If nothing else should you form some sort of group or foundation consider UNDERWRITING one of their morning programs. It is incredible how many academic types listen to NPR in the morning and hearing "this segment is underwritten in part by the Molly S. foundation dedicated to the health of older Minnesota residents" couldn't hurt.

10. If you want to get "down and dirty" hire a PI to quietly ascertain various voluntary membership organizations that members of the selection board participate in. Then consider joining, and becoming active within those organizations. Choose wisely and use caution as this could hurt you if detected as phony. Also learn at least WHAT SCHOOLS likely members of your selection board attended. If you can also know something about those programs, it might prove useful the next time around.

11. If you happen to have wealthy relatives have them endow a nursing scholarship fund at your University of choice. I know of a guy who was accepted into medical school at a certain location after his physician father donated around $500,000 to establish a scholarship fund (his kid had been previously rejected).

12. Consider taking a job in the ICU of the hospital that does clinicals for the CRNA program that you prefer. This might offer the opportunity to develop some useful contacts.

13. Consider starting a PAC that would push agendas at the STATE level importent to CRNA's. An example might be organizing people in various states to lobby for the Medicare "opt out" provision being adopted by more states. This would be a BAD idea IF the schools that you are interested in ALSO educate MDA's or have them on the selection boards. Another worthy group would focus on educating high school seniors about pursueing anesthesia as a career.

14. If you are relatively young try, try again. Consider the accumulated differences in LIFETIME earnings that being a CRNA might yield over your current pay (keeping in mind various investment OPPORTUNITIES that might present themselves with increased pay. Thus it's not just the extra 50K plus a year, it's the INTEREST which that income can EARN properly invested). Present these financial calculations to your husband (if applicable) and see if he doesn't think that moving might not be warrented (if necessary). Consider also that if you have kids that you will being setting an IMPORTANT example for how they should address adversity in their lives. Like a soldier who fights valliantly in battle your deeds may live long past this struggle. If you do move consider PA, they have the most CRNA schools in the nation. I have also been told that some schools in some states show preference for instate applicants. Persist until you succeed and you are guarenteed success. You were not put on this earth to fail and the fact that you are already seeking advice makes me confident that you won't.

Pray, even if you are agnostic. There is mounting scientific evidence to support prayer, and even mainline quantum physics has largely accepted the notion of non-locality even if they are not sure whether or not Shrodinger's cat is alive or dead. Let me start you out with one on the house "God please grant Molly the success that she deserves and bless her efforts that she may in turn bless others."

gotosleep · Feb 14, 2004

Pray, even if you are agnostic. There is mounting scientific evidence to support prayer, and even mainline quantum physics has largely accepted the notion of non-locality even if they are not sure whether or not Shrodinger's cat is alive or dead. Let me start you out with one on the house "God please grant Molly the success that she deserves and bless her efforts that she may in turn bless others."

Ummm...bizarre

Roland · Feb 14, 2004

I don't know if you are talking about the advice to pray, the actual prayer or the quantum physics reference. You may remember Dr. Edwin Shrodinger from your Chemistry or Physics classes as he authored a famous equation that yields some of the quantum numbers relevant to electron wave theory. He was also famous for a "thought experiment" that sought to determine whether or not a cat in a box with a vial of poison gas, would live or die based upon whether or not a proton had a certain polarity. The startling conclusion was that observation itself seems to initimately effect elementery particles in our universe. Modern physicists have even succeeded in "transporting" photons, and slowing the speed of light itself (using a cesium chloride filled chamber). There are many other experiments that seem to confirm that praying for or against bacteria grown in culture can positively or negatively affect their growth rate (many books by Larry Dossey M.D. detail such experiments). This principal of "non locality" may even be harnessed for communication one day (thus scientists at JPL might be able to communicate with Spirit or Opportunity one day instantly rather than having to abide a twelve minute delay) and we might even be able to design "quantum computers" that are orders of magnitude more powerful than what we have today. We cannot really explain the modality of such Physics except to say that they involve extra dimensional and so called Super String considerations it seems.

jonas42 · Feb 15, 2004

roland you are weird

Roland · Feb 15, 2004

Yes Jonas42, I prefer unique, but your characterization is equally valid. Now that we have settled that issue do you have any further ideas that can be utilized to improve Molly's odds the next time she applies to CRNA school? I think there are some effective strategies still out there that have yet to be shared on this forum. Come on folks, give up some of the "good stuff" that you know or have heard to be effective.

For instance I'm still wondering which schools might be easier than others to gain acceptance into. I'm also wondering if it's a known fact whether or not reapplying to the same schools which reject you is a good or bad idea. Any ideas on getting good reference letters when most of your friends, family, and co-workers think "you're weird"?