CRNA School with low GPA!! Please help!

[JohnsHopkinsRN]

Hello all,

I am hoping for everyone's sincere input on this one...

I really want to be a CRNA. I am worried though that my grades are not good enough though. Although, I am trying to everything I can to offset them... besides repeating my undergraduate work I guess...

I have been working in both the M/S and CVICU at Johns Hopkins for 2.5 year now (since graduating from nursing school), our ICU's are very high acuity with Heart Transplants, Total Artificial Hearts, VADs, CRRT, IABPs, SWANs and vasopressors galore, etc... THE BAD NEWS IS my state school undergrad GPA is 3.1... since then I have worked my tail off... I am a CCRN... I have taken 4 graduate level Nursing courses... A's in all of them to prove I can work hard... I have taught new grads, experienced nurses, and helped open new floors...

So... what are my chances of getting in? I haven't taken the GRE exam yet... Anyone recommend a prep course? What else can I do to increase my odds?

I will be able to obtain very strong letters of recommendation and I think that I would interview well and would make a great CRNA, but I am afraid that with my low GPA, my application I will be quickly skipped over...

Really what can I do? I appreciate any and all input!!

Thanks,

J

[slcpicu]

Overall, you sound like a pretty good canidate. You will be coming from a very well known program. you have showed your dedication by being proactive and doing some grad level courses. (and did well in them). Spend some time on your statement of purpose and studying for the GRE (although there are 11 schools that don't require it). your lettters of rec will be very important and it sounds like that will be a strong suit as well.

CRNA school is very competitive but if you are serious, make the jump. Alot will depend on the applicant pool and your personal interview. Some ppl look really good on paper and interview poorly and vis versa.

So work on your statement, continue to get valuable experience, do well on the GRE and I think you have a pretty good chance to get an interview.

Most schools have an idea of what they are looking for in a student. Let's hope you fit.

GOOD LUCK!

[gasmaster]

Go ahead and apply. Most schools take into consideration the whole picture, not just the GPA. Good luck!