honest feedback on stats CRNA school

[thebikingbean]

GPA

University of California education, biology GPA=2.3

Community college pre-reqs GPA (A&P, stats, etc.)=3.8

ABSN GPA=3.1

intermittent graduate level classes most recently: nursing research, nursing theory, physiology, pharmacology=A. Biochem=B

EXPERIENCE

Critical Care experience= 7+ years (all ICU including: Burn, Trauma, CVICU)

Clinical Instructor= 3+ years

LEADERSHIP/COMMUNITY SERVICE

Community volunteer for local youth program 3+ years

Beacon committee (awarded gold), ICU education/quality committee (work with CNS in teaching staff on equipment and education days)

Shadowed several CRNA's over the years

Certifications

CCRN

ACLS, BLS, PALS

knowledge/experience in heart, kidney, lung and pancreas transplant

CRRT competent/VAD/Centrimag/Heartware+Heartmate/Impella/Balloon Pump

[sleepyyyyyyy]

hi there! im also applying this year. as a fellow applicant, my honest feedback is your GPA would be your hole on your application. from perusing different school programs, I found that the minimum acceptable GPA is 3.2.

with that being said, I can definitely feel that you are competent and confident with your clinica skills and I feel like youre going to do good in interview.

my advice is maybe you can take CMC and CSC, take a grad level course and get an A, and get a high score on the GRE.

@BigPappaCRNA is well sought out here in this forum, he might have additional or better advice for your situation. best of luck!

[thebikingbean]

I appreciate your feedback.

I did re-take some graduate level courses in research, theory, physiology and pharm and biochem. I did manage A's in all except biochem which was online and poorly taught, still a B though.

I was thinking a good GRE could help though! thanks again!

[sleepyyyyyyy]

actually, we just celebrated at work my coworker’s admission to CRNA school. he has a great resume like yours but his GPA is 3.3, no interviews for 2 years but he kept at it. we are so proud of him. so for me, I think its possible.

[caugoesmoo, RN]

Your stats look good if you were willing to apply to schools outside the CA-state locale; from what I gathered during my research, CA schools seemed like the most competitive to get into (whether it's to volume of applicants or minimum stats, I dunno).

Along with your excellent grades in grad school, you could chalk up your low undergrad GPA to needing to mature/find yourself

[thebikingbean]

Thanks for the feedback. Yeah there was a lot of growing I needed to do but overall I think my experience and return to grad school classes shows that-just don't know "who else sees it that way"...

[caugoesmoo, RN]

44 minutes ago, thebikingbean said:

Thanks for the feedback. Yeah there was a lot of growing I needed to do but overall I think my experience and return to grad school classes shows that-just don't know "who else sees it that way"...

Haha, that's EXACTLY how I felt when I applied to schools. My nursing GPA was ~3.3, overall was closer to a 3.0 because I ****ED around in my undergrad. However, I took and aced my core sciences (physics/chem/ochem/bio) and that seemed to stand out to my interviewers.

I got a fair amount of rejections, but all you need is just a couple of interviews to seal the deal because you already can make a convincing argument about your experience

For one of my interviews, I asked the faculty why they didn't ask me about my terrible grades and they just kinda stared at me and said "Your most recent grades show us that you learned how to study and rise above adversity - you don't need to be broken-in like some of the younger applicants that haven't had a fall yet."

Cast your net wide, your place is out there somewhere

[thebikingbean]

Thanks so much for that feedback. I appreciate it!

Haha-I like that, "rise above adversity and don't need to be broken in". Nice way of saying you learned how to learn and matured.

Again it is how THEY perceive it but persistence is key ?

[subee, MSN, CRNA]

I think you have earned your boarding pass.

[IEDave, ASN, CNA, LVN]

My take: depends a LOT on which CRNA program you're aiming for. Yeah, your overall GPA's going to be a bit low, but you also have solid professional chops to offset that. My experience is that commitees will usually work with you on GPA issues - you may have to retake biochem for example. IMO the big issue is going to be your competition. In a top-tier school, it's going to be a tough sell. Lower tier, not so much. And...timing. If you're applying with a bunch of overachievers, you'll get aced out. Middle of the road applicants - you're in.

End of the day - apply to several schools & see who bites. You just may be pleasantly surprised!

[ClaraRedheart, BSN, RN]

I'll be watching ? I had a horrible GPA myself (2.9) and I just feel grateful to be where I am. I have no aspirations for grad school yet, but I've done a lot in the 6 years at my current position. My boss says it's more about what you do than your GPA, and she's also a nursing school instructor for a local high ranking university that I recently did a nursing fellowship with and am mentoring another fellow. I'm not ready to even think about facing grad school, or rejection for it, but it's nice to know that it might actually be an option.

[murseman24, MSN, CRNA]

I would fill out a lot of applications and cast your net wide, there will be schools who won't look at your application b/c of your GPA. You can PM me if you like.