Competitive enough for cRNA programs?

[jorbair]

Hey all,

I am concerned, and a little obsessed with my GPA in nursing school as well as prereqs for cRNA programs. In my undergrad I was an Ag major, until I became undecided and wanted to go into the health field. While struggling to find my passion, I took way too many credit hours at once, including A&P, orgo, got my CNA license, etc. I ended up getting C's and D's and became very discouraged. I eventually found my way in to community health, but upon graduating decided that I was no longer interested in that. I wanted something that provided more autonomy. I am now in a 15 month ABSN program that started this fall and ends next December. I figured things out, re took A&P 1 and got an A, took A&P 2 and orgo/biochem, and got A's in both of those, and am doing well in my program now. I just finished up my first semester, and project myself to get around a 3.8-3.9 GPA if everything plays out the way I plan. My only concern is all of those C's and D's in the beginning. Will those bring my science GPA down and hurt my chances of getting in to a program or will schools see that I corrected my mistakes? Also, the school I am at now (SIUe) has a cRNA program that I will be really looking in to. Im hoping that doing well in my ABSN program helps my chances of getting in.

[therockobama]

If you're doing well on your program now and have made up for your previous grades, keep up with that. Some programs do not look only at your overall GPA, but also take into account your trend. (i.e. low in the beginning and haven't been taking school that seriously when you're young and boosted up when you became serious with school.) Also, GPA is only one part of the equation. They will look into your ICU work experience, any committees that you joined, what type of leadership skills you have, how well do you work with others, your recommendation letters, and if you have precepted (those are the only ones I can think of right off the bat). But for now, keep doing what you're doing, try not to obsess too much over it, focus on finishing your nursing strong, and get an ICU job when you finish.

[CCRN_CSC_0710]

Get an ICU job and see what happens from there. You may hate the ICU and decided you don't want to be a CRNA. If you do get an ICU job, get your CCRN, and do well on the GRE I'd suggest emailing program directors to see how you could improve your application (if you do email them make sure you write "CRNA," not cRNA as I have never seen it with a lowercase "c" and you wrote that 3 times so I believe it was intentional).