Help with admissions

[NurseBot21]

Hi,

I'm looking to start a crna program as soon as possible but am wondering if my credentials are not up to par.

My first bachelor's degree was from University of Michigan and I had a gpa of 2.9. My nursing prequisites I completed at a local community college and had a gpa of 3.4. I graduated with a BSN from Wayne State's accelerated program with a gpa of 3.1. I took my gre with little preparation last year and got a 1000 with a 4 on the written portion.

I have 2.5 years of Neuro ICU experience, charge nurse experience and strong recommendations from my colleagues and nurse manager. I am active with a committee on the unit as well. Outside of work I am also active in community service/social organization.

Should I take some science course online to boost my gpa? If so, what courses and where would you suggest taking them online where school attendance is not necessary? Would taking the gre again help? What about preparing for the ccrn?

Any suggestions will be great ! Thanks!

Mia

[Class2011]

I'd suggest you first get your CCRN. It will help you clinically and prepare you for interviews.

Then try a two pronged approach of applying and simultaneously taking some classes. Put it in your application as in progress and be ready during the interview to report A's.

If you don't get in, your application will be that much stronger the second time around. If you've already got prerequisites done, an upper level A&P course would be most useful down the road. My second choice would be either an advanced patho course or advanced physical assessment.

Taking the GRE again will only help if you can be sure you will do say at least 100 pts better or more. If you took it with little or no preparation, then you probably can improve your score significantly.

In my experience, you'll get the most improvement by learning GRE vocabulary. But the admissions committee might look more askance at a low math score.

No offense to NurseMia, but to everyone else, don't take the GRE unless you have time to prepare. You're just wasting your money and asking for a poor score that will follow you for five years.

[huggiebear1979]

Hey everyone,

Wasn't sure where to post this, but I'm wanting to either Become a CRNA or a Nurse Practitioner in a few years, I just finished up my first semester of Nursing School..after I graduate I want to join the air force, and work in I.C.U or Neuro I.C.U to get my acute care experience...with the air force once you hit 0-3, which takes between 3-5 years and they release you if your accepted into a Master's program, but are still technically in the service...I had a few questions about CRNA and Nurse Practitioner schools on the west coast and maybe Australia? I know my post is kind of vague, but don't really know what steps I should be taking to basically improve my chances of getting into CRNA or Nurse Practitioner schools....thanks, oh and also I will be around 36 by the time I have my Master's degree and would like to start having kids around that age, and was wondering if it's realistic to be a CRNA ie would I get called in all the time at 3 in the morning??? or in some places do they work a "Normal Shift", Would an NP be more realistic if I'm wanting a family at that time:-)