Has anyone out there NOT been accepted to CRNA school despite their repeated best...

efforts? My "plan" as I have stated before is to apply (along with my wife) to about ten to fifteen schools per year (the ones with the lowest admission standards that I can ascertain). Has anyone tried this "shot gun" approach and failed? My feelings are that between us we will be making twenty to thirty applications per year, and that we are BOUND to be accepted within three to five years using such an approach.

[WntrMute2]

Roland, I think there are only about 85 schools in the country. If that is your approach, just do them all at once. BTW, I don't believe you need to go that route. Just pick a small handfull, maybe in areas you won't mind living in and go for it. You'll get in if your qualifications are good.

[apaphoenix]

I agree with Dave, Roland. Just choose a handful. After all, paying out an application fee for each school ($35-50) and then having your references send out all those recommendations can get to be both expensive and irritating. I think it would be frustrating to shell out all that cash and then get accepted after your first interview... just a thought.

Phoenix

[Roland]

are going to be my biggest problem. My GPA should approach 4.0 and my GRE SHOULD be top notch (I scored 1560 on my SAT's but that was years ago). However, I'm about as social as Plankton from Sponge Bob Squarepants. In fact, although I'm often accused of "asking too many questions and being to opinionated in class" generally I've got a real problem with shyness (for instance I havn't gone to a family function in at least five years because I'm so self concious about the hair I've lost and the weight I've gained. Heck, I AVOID the small town where I grew up because I'm afraid I'll run into someone I went to school with). Bottom line, I can't imagine asking someone for a reference, but know that I will be forced to do so. I guess that I was anticipating using what ever references that I managed to obtain (probably after my wife calls the people for me) repeatedly with different schools.

Maybe she will get accepted first so that I don't have to deal with the situation for an additional three years or so. For that matter after she graduates as a CRNA maybe I can become a stay at home dad, and avoid the situation forever. Unfortunately, I don't think she will go for that idea so somehow I'll have to get over it.

[smiling_ru]

Roland, Most schools have a specific format for references, so it is hard to use the same ones over and over. Your right, you need to find a way out of your shyness.

[London88]

Roland , I do not know how long ago you took your GRE, but depending on when you took it, the five year rule might not apply. Go to the GRE website because if it was taken before the five year rule came into effect you might not need to retake it. There is a cutoff date before the five year rule came into effect, so look into it since you do have a descent score.

[Want2Bgasman]

Roland

You must get over your shyness! While in school to become a CRNA you will be asked to perform in a variety of different ways. One of these will be to give presentations and answer scenarios on the spot. My first question (without reading of your other posts) do you work in an ICU and do you have an BSN? If you have allot of time on your hands I would suggest you work in a psych unit for awhile. You will learn about yourself and learn to increase your self-esteem while getting paid. Consider it an indirect route to your goal.

Ponder this.

One day in nursing school a male classmate came in with his head shaved. I could tell he was very upset and wouldn't even talk with people. I gave him this advise. Tell everyone it is the coolest haircut you every got, walk with head high and smile. By the end of day he had convinced everyone this was a good thing and his classmates complimented him for days to come on his bravery and new "cool look". Point of this blurb? Perception relies highly on presentation and you as the presenter always get to choose how you present. This from someone that used to ditch classes in high-school because he was so shy.....

[Roland]

taken the GRE, I'm only stating that I expect to score well on it because I've scored well on standardized tests in the past (in this case I was referencing the SAT's). Also, I'm working on my BSN (first semester of clinicals).

As to shyness I tend to be shy only around people I KNOW. My wife would marvel when we had our own mortgage company how I could talk to strangers for hours like they were best friends, while not being able to make small talk with friends and family. My hair issue started when I was eighteen, and started going bald. I had the money for "one" round of hair implants and no more. Thus, I look like "Frankenstein" in front but am only slightly balding else-where (turns out I jumped the gun at 18 and wasn't really going THAT bald after all). This wasn't much of an issue in the Navy for me because I was almost ALWAYS able to wear a hat. While we had our own company I could also always wear a hat. (I actually focused on rural customers to facilitate this action). Heck, I gave up going to church because I couldn't wear a hat. I even wore a hat at my own wedding. Now I cannot and I find myself actually "shaking" sometimes due to the stress of not being able to do so during clinicals. I WISH that I could be bald, it would truly be an improvement for me. Not being able to wear a hat is by far the most stressful aspect of nursing for me. Heck, it has even influenced my weight gain.

Don't know what this has to do with references except that it influences my ability to form the relationships necessary to obtain them.

[WntrMute2]

Roland, shave your head, people think its cool these days. You can alse cut the shortest "buzz " cut available, the are all the rage around here (and in school BTW). Most of your references get sent back to the schools directly, they don't touch your hands once you give them to the reccomender. You are going to to tick those people off and you can't have you're wife do that for you. Some school will hear about it and that would be embarresing. Get used to asking for what you need, you will do a lot of that in school too.

[MICU RN]

Don't worry about references, as you work as a RN you will meet more than enough people who will be willing to help. If there is a teaching hospital near by, go work there, that environment loves to see people advance through further education and training. You will be surprised how many doctors and nurses will be willing to help with letters.

[Roland]

the opinion that it will make me look even worse due to the "implants", then again I've never tried it so who can say. Heck, if nothing else maybe I can motivate myself with future visions of being able to afford high end implants like the Bosley Group (as an aside did you ever notice how much better the average black guy looks bald compared to the average white guy?) In addition, I've considered taking one of those drugs like Paxol that are supposedly useful for those who suffer from "social anxiety". However, I have been concerned about side effects, espcially those which might interfere with memory and cognition. I had never thought about it before but the reference requirement does place something of a limit upon how many schools one can reasonably apply to doesn't it. Thanks, for the input.

[Qwiigley, CRNA]

Actually Paxil helped me cope during undergrad. So much so, that while I am in graduate school now (SRNA), I actually consider taking it again. Made me get a grip. BUT, don't make the mistake I did and go off it cold turkey. WOW! Bad news. You have to wean yourself off. As for memory etc, I didn't have any problems with that.