CRNA School Acceptance

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I'm currently in a BSN program and will be graduating in a year. I have always dreamt of being a CRNA, but I keep getting discouraged because of how hard I hear it is to just get accepted. I had hoped once I got into my nursing program I would be able to maintain a 4.0 but that has just not been the case. I think I have around a 3.5 (all A's and B's). My science classes I took before like anatomy, chem, orgo, and Microbiology I had like a 3.7 GPA overall. I do not think I have bad grades but I am scared they won't be competitive enough for CRNA school. I would love any and all input or advice!

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Don't need a 4.0 to get into school. But you're 5-6 years out before you should apply so you have plenty of time to gain meaningful experience and training in critical care to make yourself competitive with a 3.5

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On 2/16/2022 at 1:50 PM, studentnurse1004 said:

I'm currently in a BSN program and will be graduating in a year. I have always dreamt of being a CRNA, but I keep getting discouraged because of how hard I hear it is to just get accepted. I had hoped once I got into my nursing program I would be able to maintain a 4.0 but that has just not been the case. I think I have around a 3.5 (all A's and B's). My science classes I took before like anatomy, chem, orgo, and Microbiology I had like a 3.7 GPA overall. I do not think I have bad grades but I am scared they won't be competitive enough for CRNA school. I would love any and all input or advice!

You realize most CRNA students are late 20s to early 30s? GO get some experience before you starting gunning for CRNA school

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56 minutes ago, Numenor said:

You realize most CRNA students are late 20s to early 30s? GO get some experience before you starting gunning for CRNA school

Hi, thank you for your feedback. I do realize that lots of CRNA students aren't right out of school but it is my goal to get in as soon as possible. I have met multiple people that this was possible for, but I do realize that it is not very common. 

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On 2/23/2022 at 6:21 PM, studentnurse1004 said:

Hi, thank you for your feedback. I do realize that lots of CRNA students aren't right out of school but it is my goal to get in as soon as possible. I have met multiple people that this was possible for, but I do realize that it is not very common. 


Yes yes and 90% of BSN students want to be NPs or CRNAs eventually. Goals change as does reality.

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What does that have to do with anything? I don’t think it’s a terrible thing that a lot of BSN students have high hopes for themselves even if it more than likely won’t happen for every single one. All I wanted from this post was to hear from CRNAs/people that had been through the CRNA school admission process. It seems as though you want to give discouragement to me just simply because of having the goal of going to CRNA as soon as I can. I just don’t see that as being a bad goal. 

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4 minutes ago, studentnurse1004 said:

What does that have to do with anything? I don’t think it’s a terrible thing that a lot of BSN students have high hopes for themselves even if it more than likely won’t happen for every single one. All I wanted from this post was to hear from CRNAs/people that had been through the CRNA school admission process. It seems as though you want to give discouragement to me just simply because of having the goal of going to CRNA as soon as I can. I just don’t see that as being a bad goal. 

It has to do with everything, if every BSN student became a NP or CRNA there would be no RNs or experienced RNs. We are seeing this issue now. When people graduate those goals often change. High hopes is also relative, RNs can have high hopes and some would argue being a RN is much more lucrative than being a NP or CRNA right now. Everyone wants to be a CRNA because they make good money ( whatever reason/motivation they give for a school interview is inconsequential), that's reality. Because of that reality, it is very competitive. Focusing on minute details like GPA is an issue. GPA is simply a vetting tool, you need to bring more to the table when competing against late 20s'early 30s RNs who have lived life and have tons of years of experience. I even know NPs who went back to CRNA school after years as a provider. You are competing against this, whether you have a 4.0 or not matters little.

If you see this as discouragement that's on you. I have done this for 10 years and I recommend you focus on the target ahead then go from there. It's good to be prepared but GPA is going to be the least of your worries in applying, you bolster your application by putting in years of varied experience and not by focusing on NOT GPA. My buddy got in with a 3.1. Why? He was 30 and interviewed well with years of military and travel experience to back it up. That matters much more than a dime a dozen 3.7+ GPA

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6 minutes ago, Numenor said:

It has to do with everything, if every BSN student became a NP or CRNA there would be no RNs or experienced RNs. We are seeing this issue now. When people graduate those goals often change. High hopes is also relative, RNs can have high hopes and some would argue being a RN is much more lucrative than being a NP or CRNA right now. Everyone wants to be a CRNA because they make good money ( whatever reason/motivation they give for a school interview is inconsequential), that's reality. Because of that reality, it is very competitive. Focusing on minute details like GPA is an issue. GPA is simply a vetting tool, you need to bring more to the table when competing against late 20s'early 30s RNs who have lived life and have tons of years of experience. I even know NPs who went back to CRNA school after years as a provider. You are competing against this, whether you have a 4.0 or not matters little.

If you see this as discouragement that's on you. I have done this for 10 years and I recommend you focus on the target ahead then go from there. It's good to be prepared but GPA is going to be the least of your worries in applying, you bolster your application by putting in years of varied experience and not by focusing on NOT GPA. My buddy got in with a 3.1. Why? He was 30 and interviewed well with years of military and travel experience to back it up. That matters much more than a dime a dozen 3.7+ GPA

Of course those goals change. NP and CRNA seem like an awesome thing to do while we’re in school but we all also know that just isn’t gonna be reality for all of us. And I’ve already seen with a lot of my classmates that they’ve fallen in love with nursing and certain units that they no longer see themselves pursing a higher degree. I totally agree that GPA is just one factor in the whole process of getting into CRNA school but my entire point of my post was just based on the GPA portion. I’m the type of person that excessively worries about certain things so my post was just looking to know from people with knowledge about the admission process if I should even have this goal without a 4.0 GPA. I have now gotten this answer and still feel hopeful that I will obtain the experience I need in order to be successful in CRNA school. I just didn’t understand why it was needed to discourage someone who just simply asked a question and has a goal. It seems you are a bit bitter about this subject for some reason. I look forward to being an RN but it’s not a bad or unreasonable goal for me to want to pursue CRNA before I have years and years of experience. 

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2 minutes ago, studentnurse1004 said:

Of course those goals change. NP and CRNA seem like an awesome thing to do while we’re in school but we all also know that just isn’t gonna be reality for all of us. And I’ve already seen with a lot of my classmates that they’ve fallen in love with nursing and certain units that they no longer see themselves pursing a higher degree. I totally agree that GPA is just one factor in the whole process of getting into CRNA school but my entire point of my post was just based on the GPA portion. I’m the type of person that excessively worries about certain things so my post was just looking to know from people with knowledge about the admission process if I should even have this goal without a 4.0 GPA. I have now gotten this answer and still feel hopeful that I will obtain the experience I need in order to be successful in CRNA school. I just didn’t understand why it was needed to discourage someone who just simply asked a question and has a goal. It seems you are a bit bitter about this subject for some reason. I look forward to being an RN but it’s not a bad or unreasonable goal for me to want to pursue CRNA before I have years and years of experience. 

I am not bitter about anything, I have gotten into both CRNA and NP school in the past. I am sorry but your story is not different from most and you came to a public forum asking for advice and I (we) gave it. If you really want to be a CRNA, that's fine. Go get some years of experience and focus on being a good student first and soon to be RN next. If CRNA is in the cards it will happen, simple as that.

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8 hours ago, studentnurse1004 said:

 I look forward to being an RN but it’s not a bad or unreasonable goal for me to want to pursue CRNA before I have years and years of experience. 

You know what you need to do. Just do it and ignore folks that have some kind of burr under their saddle. Seems like you're aware of the consequences of entering anesthesia training unprepared and know your own limitations. Programs have a lot at stake when they accept anyone into training and if they do accept you knowing whatever background you have, that means they think you have what it takes. If they don't, you have more work to do...simple as that. One of the best CRNA's I ever knew just retired after almost 40 years and he went from his BSN program right into anesthesia training. There is a guy on the nurse anesthesia speaker circuit with a fairly recognizable name because he writes and speaks that worked a couple of years on L and D before going into anesthesia. But just know that your anesthesia clinical instructors will expect an advanced level of understanding of some pretty important topics and if you don't possess that, you'll have a hard time. Good luck.  

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2 hours ago, offlabel said:

You know what you need to do. Just do it and ignore folks that have some kind of burr under their saddle. Seems like you're aware of the consequences of entering anesthesia training unprepared and know your own limitations. Programs have a lot at stake when they accept anyone into training and if they do accept you knowing whatever background you have, that means they think you have what it takes. If they don't, you have more work to do...simple as that. One of the best CRNA's I ever knew just retired after almost 40 years and he went from his BSN program right into anesthesia training. There is a guy on the nurse anesthesia speaker circuit with a fairly recognizable name because he writes and speaks that worked a couple of years on L and D before going into anesthesia. But just know that your anesthesia clinical instructors will expect an advanced level of understanding of some pretty important topics and if you don't possess that, you'll have a hard time. Good luck.  

Thank you so much! I really appreciate hearing other’s stories. I’m thankful for the words of encouragement 

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On 2/26/2022 at 6:32 AM, offlabel said:

You know what you need to do. Just do it and ignore folks that have some kind of burr under their saddle. Seems like you're aware of the consequences of entering anesthesia training unprepared and know your own limitations. Programs have a lot at stake when they accept anyone into training and if they do accept you knowing whatever background you have, that means they think you have what it takes. If they don't, you have more work to do...simple as that. One of the best CRNA's I ever knew just retired after almost 40 years and he went from his BSN program right into anesthesia training. There is a guy on the nurse anesthesia speaker circuit with a fairly recognizable name because he writes and speaks that worked a couple of years on L and D before going into anesthesia. But just know that your anesthesia clinical instructors will expect an advanced level of understanding of some pretty important topics and if you don't possess that, you'll have a hard time. Good luck.  

I mean yeah I knew a guy who woke up and aced the MCAT  and got into JH med without a day of studying and another who decided one day he wanted to go to Ranger school and passed without any failure and no prep training. There are always outliers, but we don't prepare to be an outlier.

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