Do I have a chance of getting in

[Sami92]

Hello all,

I am hoping to apply to direct entry nurse practitioner programs with a concentration in psychiatric mental health (PMHNP). I realize that these programs are extremely competitive however I wanted to see what people thought about my application. I graduated with a B.A in psychology from Boston University with a 3.3 cumulative GPA. In the prerequisite courses I have taken so far (two levels of statistics, developmental psychology, and nutrition) I have received all A's, and my GPA from the last two years was a 3.6. GRE score: 165 Verbal 159 Quantitative. Since graduating two years ago I have been working full time as a psychiatric Research Coordinator. I have been published several times and have interacted directly with patients.

I have narrowed my list to include UT Austin, Yale, Vanderbilt, MGH Institute of health, OHSU, and UCSF.

Do I have a chance of getting in?

[Zyprexa_Ho]

We're not going to be able to tell you that. You need to research the schools you've listed relative to what they consider for admission and how the average accepted applicant falls with respect to these criteria.

[SanDiFrangles, RN, NP, CNS]

Hi, I'm faculty in the UCSF MEPN program. It's obviously difficult to assess based just on a quick snip of information. We do require four recommendations and an interview if you enter via the MEPN pathway which would further weigh into the decision. I would say that your chances are good as you meet the minimum requirements however we do like to see some leadership and volunteer activities in addition to past employment experience. But the interview is really the time to see you shine. Our selection is usually very competitive and is largely dependent on the applicant pool in a particular year. Since our program is very intensive the first year, we need to also make sure applicants are capable of dedicating their time. You basically become an RN in year 1 and you go back-to-back without any breaks. Also, the admissions decision is based on the advanced practice speciality you apply to, so certain specialities are more competitive than others. Also, not all programs admit MEPN candidates a few require clinical nursing experience.

About me: I'm faculty in the SON but I don't serve on the admissions committee. I'm also an alumni of another program and graduated just this past year, so I can give you some perspective as a student.

[Sami92]

Thank you so much for your input! I read the minimum criteria on schools websites however it is hard to use that as a baseline because I realize accepted students typically have higher credentials. I have even been told my several schools that the psych NP track is usually more competitive than others. I appreciate your suggestions and am very committed to improving my application in any way possible!!