Help with Essay!!!!!

strivetofinish · Feb 27, 2007

well it depends on the type of person you are but i definitely think you should try something persuasive and compelling. start out with an experience you had that made you want to be a nurse etc etcc.... i cant really say i usually just write and it flows. search online for some ideas hope i helped

aviator411, RN · Feb 27, 2007

No matter what kind of school you are applying for, the people who read application essays are looking for the same things.

They are looking to learn more about you than is visible from examining your transcript and GPA. They are looking for clues about where you are developmentally - mature, immature or somewhere in between, relative to your chronological age. They are also evaluating your ability to communicate verbally, something that not all nurses do well. They are also looking for any indications that you do or do not complete projects which you start. If you have done anything which demostrates your ability to finish what you start; tell them about it. Sometimes what you write or what you write about is less important than how you write and express it and what your writing says about you than the subject you are discussing. Whatever you do, find one or more people who are well qualified to proof read what you have written and offer suggestions. Consult a former teacher, english teacher, science teacher, whatever. Look for someone to critique your writing whom you have great respect for and for whom others have great respect. Maybe an admissions officer at a school you are not applying to. You'll be surprised how willing others will be to help you. The most difficult thing for many of us to learn is when we need the help/advice of others and where to look for it.

Asherah, BSN, RN · Feb 28, 2007

:yeahthat:

But seriously...I would just include that its important to be sincere about what you are writing and really try to allow your personality to shine through. Many people only include what they think admissions committees want to hear/read.

I think you will know when your final draft feels right, just make sure you take your time, start well in advance of the application due date and you'll feel very confident about the whole thing.

Good luck!

DermNP2Be · Mar 1, 2007

Ok, just my 2 cents. I have heard that my University is highly competitive (notice I said "heard", I really don't know the actual statistics of UIC- University of Illinois Chicago). From what I understand, they look at grades, experiences, everything. I have NO healthcare experience, or so I thought. I had to really analyze everything just like you should be doing now. I had a sister that was handicapped and my mom didn't want her in a home. She couldn't talk, walk, or even feed herself. So we all pitched in to help- and that laid the everlasting foundation of my desire to be in healthcare. I tried my best to bring that across in my essay. What experiences do you have? Really think about it because I bet somewhere in there is something that you did out of love for family or even a stranger that you don't realize was somehow involved with healthcare. Really think about it and put into words how it made you feel, how it influenced your decision to devote your life to healthcare. Hoped I helped a little?

opradiva · Mar 1, 2007

:yeahthat:
But seriously...I would just include that its important to be sincere about what you are writing and really try to allow your personality to shine through. Many people only include what they think admissions committees want to hear/read.
I think you will know when your final draft feels right, just make sure you take your time, start well in advance of the application due date and you'll feel very confident about the whole thing.
Good luck!

Excellent advice here!

I would also say sincerity is very important. All schools know that each applicant is trying to paint the most perfect picture of themselves. You have to give them more than that, I think. I've always been pretty good at writing my thoughts. For my essay, I gave them a glimpse into my past, my academics, my current occupation, and tied all of that into nursing. I also outlined my nursing goals. I think they want to get a feel for what type of person you are, and how you will be able to contribute to their program. It's great to have the good grades and the book knowledge. I believe the ability to communicate that knowledge to others, on their level, is very important. This, to me, is what nursing is all about.

:Melody: opradiva

RN BSN 2009 · Mar 1, 2007

Write what makes you stand out as a student... extra achievements, extracurriculars... any kind of thing that shows you are an extraordinary student