GRE scores

[icu_rn88]

I just walked out of the GRE and my preliminary scores are Verbal - 163 and Quantitative - 154. I have a cumulative 3.3 GPA and was hoping to make up for it with my GRE scores. The minimum score for the programs I'm applying to is 300. How are my scores? Are they competitive?

[Screen name]

I have heard the same thing. A high GRE score has a positive correlation to graduate school success but in the same breath a low GRE score is not a good predictor of graduate school success.

Correct. There was a study some months back in the AANA journal which concluded that undergrad GPA is a better predictor of grad school success. And the GRE could, or could not be reliable. Most often, high GPAs have high GREs... and vice versa, so it makes sense.

I had a high GPA, but just didn't care about GRE. I made below 300 and was accepted.

[DFW_RN]

Do you have your CCRN? I only scored a 295 on the GRE and was accepted into two out of four programs, waitlisted at one. Not one professor asked about or referenced my GRE score, but in every interview I was asked if I had my CCRN, which thankfully I obtained it a month before my first interview. Your GRE scores are excellent, but without your CCRN, they will focus a lot less on your GRE scores. If you've got your CCRN, have a decent gpa, interview well, then you shouldn't have any problem with being accepted to at least half of the schools you apply to.

[UnfinishedSentenc]

I found that article you all were referring to:

http://www.aana.com/newsandjournal/Documents/pred-suc-NA-rev-adm-cr-0613-p183-189.pdf

Seems to me like the overall conclusion is the sentence: "Programs may cautiously consider using a method in which an applicant's UGPA, undergraduate science GPA, and length of time they have been out of a formal education setting are weighed more strongly than the GRE score." And that the interview is very important.

I thought it was interesting that higher age, possibly r/t time out of school, was inversely correlated with success. I have been under the impression that most schools prefer as much ICU experience as possible. Seems like at some point there may be diminishing and negative returns with extra years of nursing.

[MatyIce]

UnfinishedSentenc......Nice avatar. Yea, the longer an individual has been out of school, the more difficult it becomes to get back into the habit of studying, writing papers, and researching. A lot of that knowledge from undergraduate has been forgotten. For example, APA style writing and using PowerPoint.

The GRE really isn't that bad. If you dedicate yourself to studying for a few months you should have no problems getting a decent score. When you think about the amount of studying you'll be doing in CRNA school, the GRE shouldn't scare people the way it does. The proper preparation is key. I recommend Magoosh.

[icu_rn88, BSN, RN]

Hey Everyone,

I just wanted to give a quick update that I got called in for an interview on June 2nd. Thanks for all the support.

[Reno1978, BSN, RN]

Hey Everyone,

I just wanted to give a quick update that I got called in for an interview on June 2nd. Thanks for all the support.

Cool! Best of luck to you. nurse-anesthesia.org has a nice interview prep guide somewhere on their forums - check that out! It has many common questions so you can practice and other information you may be challenged to know during an interview.

[crushgre]

A "good score" is subjective to the schools you want to get into and the specific program within that University. There's a solid breakdown of GRE cutoff scores you can check out to see what your schools are looking for to AT LEAST consider your application. Once you hit a school's benchmark score, they'll look at your score relative to other applicants and they'll look at other factors including your GPA. This is why I always recommend you shoot for a goal 10 pts higher than your target school's cutoff score.

Hope that helps. Best of luck!