Can't Get A Definite Answer - What Format Did You Submit Your Entrance Essay In?

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  1. What format did you submit your entrance essay for nursing school in?

    • 4
      MLA
    • 0
      APA

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I can't find an answer through any search I've done so far, and I can't get in touch with anyone in the nursing department. My application is due by 1/20, and I want to get it in at least two weeks before the deadline. My application packet is getting mailed out this Monday, so I thought I would come here and take a broad survey. What format did you submit your entrance essay for nursing school in? MLA? APA? I can't get anyt definite answers. An English Comp professor said just general essay format....a friend of mine who has a masters in child psych suggested APA (which seems really formal for an entrance essay of 800 words). At the moment my essay is in an MLA style format. Oh..and I'm applying to the University Of Tennessee's Accelerated BSN Program, just incase theres anyone out there who is as well.

I agree with GrnTea!!!

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I read many, many nursing applications (1500+ per year). I've also been doing admissions work in one form or another since 1984 and have reviewed tens of thousands of admissions files over the years.

What I like to see is the following:

1. Your name (with 1500 applications, occasionally a page gets misfiled, and it is good to know that the right essay is with the right dossier).

2. 12 point font

3. Your essay.

4. Watch the word count. If the instructions say 500-700 words, then do not submit 750 words. We expect you to follow instructions. Not being able to follow instructions is a big red flag.

Pagination is not important, and title/name of school is not needed either. I know the name of my school. The date is not important either. The content of the essay matter much more inportant than a style of font, color of paper, etc. Expect the full application to be scanned electronically or xeroxed --- gone are the days when admissions committees read paper files. Whether you submit the essay on 20# cream paper or white copy paper will not matter.

If you are quoting a source, use APA. But I do not expect any quotes or citations in a program to enter into nursing. However, we do expect citations in a goals statment for a PhD program in which you outline your proposed research program and how it fits into the nursing literature.

Single spacing or double spacing does not matter to me. But it may matter to some schools -- so read the instructions.

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