Difficulty Applying for a Masters?

[Blueorchid, ASN, RN]

Hello all, hopefully this is the right place to ask such a question. If not then please ignore this.

I am currently pursuing a BSN but my eventual goal is to become a nurse practitioner. I've seen many stories on this site similar to mine, people having a rough time in the first few years of undergraduate studies...resulting medical issues, but an eventual improvement. When you find something you want to do, its amazing what you can overcome

And with any luck, I have one more semester of pre-reqs before I can enter nursing school. I've found a certified program I'm happy with in a college out in the midwest and I'm confident I can get in. However it isn't a particularly large nursing school and it doesn't come with the reputation going to Johns Hopkins, UDEL, or the University of Pittsburgh (I'm from the east coast) would.

To all the RNs out there looking for a Masters, have you had any trouble applying to graduate school because your undergrad wasn't from a well-known place? Would you need to offset an obscure school with a few years of work in the field even if you pass the NCLEX? Or does it matter as long as you have the degree and the necessary GPA to get in?

I'd appreciate any help. Thanks!

[llg, PhD, RN]

That's a good question. I think the best answer I can give is that in most cases, getting your BSN from a lesser known school is only a minor hindrance in getting accepted into a top-notch graduate program. Yes, it might hurt a little, but probably not a lot. And, in many cases, it doesn't hurt at all.

A lot will depend on exactly what graduate program you want to attend. Your level of achievement as an undergraduate will also be a factor, as will your GPA and GRE scores. Also, it can help a lot if you enhance your resume by working a little in-between undergrad and grad programs and if you do well during that time -- perhaps serving on some unit committees, serving as a preceptor, being active in a professional organization, etc.

So, if you make the most of that "little-known" undergraduate program, you will be a very appealing applicant for a graduate school. But if you don't and just slide through -- and the other grad school applicants are high-achievers from big-name programs, then yes, you would probably be at a disadvantage. It's not a clear-cut thing. The admissions committee will probably put a lot of factors together as part of their decision-making process.

Good luck to you.

[elkpark]

I was accepted to both the schools to which I applied, with a BSN from a little-known, mediocre state university ... (Just for the record, I had v. strong GPA and GRE scores, strong references, and years of clinical experience in my specialty.)

I agree (as usual! :)) with llg -- the school admission committees look at much more than just the name of your undergrad institution. While a prestigious undergrad program might give someone an advantage, it certainly doesn't mean those are the only people who get into grad school!