I'm starting my sophomore year at Valdosta state, I'm going to my bachelors in nursing. I plan to eventually apply to the CRNA program at Georgia Regents in August. I just have a lot of questions that I can't seem to get certain answers on. So here is my list of questions, along with my current concerns. Any help is much appreciate, I want to be a nurse anesthetist so badly. How can I make myself competitive enough to know I'll be accepted? What should my gpa be? What should my gre scores be? Will 1 year of ICU be enough?
My first semester, I received a D in anatomy but I'm retaking it this spring and will do much better, will the D hurt me? Statistics is not my forte, I'm almost finished with class but I feel like I'll finish with a C, will this hurt me? All of my other grades are very good, if keep A's and B's in everything else, will I be okay? Thank you so much for your help.
When you say grades do matter, do you think I'll still be able to get in with that D in anatomy? I am retaking it this semester. What should I do to make myself competitive enough for an interview? I know that I have to always keep multiple colleges on hand, but I just really want to go to GRU. Do you like the school? How is it? What was your gpa going in? Did you mess up on classes like I did with anatomy? I apologize for so many questions I just really want to succeed.
As previous posters have said, your thinking needs to not be in minimum requirements, but in doing the best that you can in each class. Anything less than a B in any science or nursing class will be scrutinized by most admission committees. And first and foremost you have to become an ICU nurse and function as such for at least a year or more. A study on SRNA demographics that I read a while back stated that the most prevalent ICU experience for current SRNAs was 1 - surgical ICU, 2 - cardiovascular ICU, and 3 - medical ICU. There are people in my class that have worked only in neuro and trauma ICU, as well as one woman who's entire career has been in NICU. I'm not saying any of this to discourage you, but to let you know the reality of what faces someone who is wanting to go down this road.
So to sum it up, if you're serious about this, make A's, and do whatever it takes to get in to an ICU in a progressive facility that will give you lots and lots of opportunities to become a real ICU nurse. Be prepared to hunker down and remain in the ICU for 2 - 3 years or more. Study for the GRE and make a good score. Get your CCRN. Make connections with people that can give you real-world advice, and soak up as much of it as you can.
Having said all of this you don't have to be perfect. I got in to my program with the following stats:
Cumulative GPA 3.5 - half and half A's and B's in nursing school
I'm going to tell you the same thing I tell everyone who comes on here, who's not finished with nursing school and already has their heart set on being a CRNA. While it's all well and good to have dreams and aspirations you still have to finish nursing school first. Then get ICU experience and then finally apply. You still have 2 years of nursing school + Potentially 1 year of med/surg + 2 years of being in a high intensity/acuity ICU = 4-5 years before you even apply to schools. Nursing school is hard enough, get thru that first.
Grades: C's and D's will NOT cut it. Remember when you apply you're going to have to send transcripts from all schools you've attended, so they will see those Cs and Ds and you may get questioned about it. While having a 4.0 is some what unrealistic, it's not imperative that you have a 4.0. I got into CRNA school with a 3.2 GPA, however I also worked at one of the top hospitals in the country, and also worked in a ridiculously intense CCU. I showed initiative by taking CCRN, CMC, CSC and TNCC. I've also been a volunteer fireman and EMT for over 12 years. All of this helped, where my GPA may have lacked.
Experience: Sure you'll talk to people who have gotten into CRNA school with only 1 year experience. Personally, I think it's a dumb move. At 1 year you've barely scratched the surface in the ICU. 2 years will not only look better, but also expose you to more stuff in the ICU and you're understanding of critical care medicine and the drugs we use will be better. In anesthesia, you better know you're drugs. And when I say know them, I mean onset/peak/duration/MOA/Receptors etc. Just having an 'idea' of what a particular drug does will kill someone.
Shadowing/Reasons for becoming a CRNA: Ask yourself why? Why do you want to be a CRNA? Do you even have any idea what CRNAs REALLY do? If you think it's all fun and games in the OR then you're so far off, I can't even begin. Do yourself a favor and go shadow someone, not for just a day, but for at least 3 days. Thats what I did, and honestly, after 3 days I wasn't excited about it. It def was not what I thought it was. CRNAs at this particular hospital did not really get to do much as all, and I really questioned what I was doing. However, I then shadowed again at the hospital I worked at in NYC and it was completely different, thankfully that reignited my drive to go to CRNA school. Look carefully at your nursing class, how many people said they wanted to be CRNAs ? Probably, a lot. Realize that the at my school there was about 250 applications for 34 spots. 3 people dropped in the first 2 semesters and we just lost another one because they couldn't cut it with their grades. Oh and they also upped the passing requirements for the NBCRNA exam, meaning they increased the passing rate.
Having good letters of recommendations helps as well.
Good luck, you got a long road ahead of you. Keep focused on nursing school right now. Once you get your RN License then starting looking at your 5 year plan, because theres no being a CRNA without your RN License. Good luck.
1. How can I make myself competitive enough to know I'll be accepted? I would definitely get your GPA up. Get lots of ICU experience get your CCRN.
2.What should my gpa be? At least 3.5
3.What should my gre scores be? depends on the school
4.Will 1 year of ICU be enough? I was a step down nurse for 2 years then got ICU experience for approx 3 years and I still feel like there is still so much to learn. I am currently at Columbia crna and honestly I can't imagine only having one year experience and then starting anesthesia classes. HOWEVER, some of my classmates have a year experience and they seem do be doing perfectly fine so it is a very person specific situation.
You need to like nursing first. Have you shadowed an ICU nurse (not a CRNA)? There is no guaranty you will get into CRNA school... ever. You need to know that its possible you will be an ICU nurse for 2, 3, 4 years or longer until you can get in. I mean, if you want a surefire way to get into school, then to answer your questions: GPA needs to be 4.0, GRE over 150/150/4.0 I looked at Georgia Regents requirements... they state to be competitive a cumulative undergrad GPA of 3.5, GRE of 301 total, and at least 2 years in an adult ICU. Focus on your grades. You do need as many A's as possible from here on out. Nursing GPA should be as high as possible and also your science classes are closely scrutinized. You will need to get your foot in this door of an ICU - this is an area that is getting harder and harder for new grads to start out in. You might even have to move to another state for an ICU internship - but I'm not sure what the job market is like in Georgia. Good luck! You are smart to start now, but it's no easy road!
Don't take this advice. I have been a CRNA for 6 years in Michigan. I did not like CVICU nursing very much at all. Anesthesia is a lot better.
I'm going to tell you the same thing I tell everyone who comes on here, who's not finished with nursing school and already has their heart set on being a CRNA. While it's all well and good to have dreams and aspirations you still have to finish nursing school first. Then get ICU experience and then finally apply. You still have 2 years of nursing school + Potentially 1 year of med/surg + 2 years of being in a high intensity/acuity ICU = 4-5 years before you even apply to schools. Nursing school is hard enough, get thru that first.
Grades: C's and D's will NOT cut it. Remember when you apply you're going to have to send transcripts from all schools you've attended, so they will see those Cs and Ds and you may get questioned about it. While having a 4.0 is some what unrealistic, it's not imperative that you have a 4.0. I got into CRNA school with a 3.2 GPA, however I also worked at one of the top hospitals in the country, and also worked in a ridiculously intense CCU. I showed initiative by taking CCRN, CMC, CSC and TNCC. I've also been a volunteer fireman and EMT for over 12 years. All of this helped, where my GPA may have lacked.
Experience: Sure you'll talk to people who have gotten into CRNA school with only 1 year experience. Personally, I think it's a dumb move. At 1 year you've barely scratched the surface in the ICU. 2 years will not only look better, but also expose you to more stuff in the ICU and you're understanding of critical care medicine and the drugs we use will be better. In anesthesia, you better know you're drugs. And when I say know them, I mean onset/peak/duration/MOA/Receptors etc. Just having an 'idea' of what a particular drug does will kill someone.
Shadowing/Reasons for becoming a CRNA: Ask yourself why? Why do you want to be a CRNA? Do you even have any idea what CRNAs REALLY do? If you think it's all fun and games in the OR then you're so far off, I can't even begin. Do yourself a favor and go shadow someone, not for just a day, but for at least 3 days. Thats what I did, and honestly, after 3 days I wasn't excited about it. It def was not what I thought it was. CRNAs at this particular hospital did not really get to do much as all, and I really questioned what I was doing. However, I then shadowed again at the hospital I worked at in NYC and it was completely different, thankfully that reignited my drive to go to CRNA school. Look carefully at your nursing class, how many people said they wanted to be CRNAs ? Probably, a lot. Realize that the at my school there was about 250 applications for 34 spots. 3 people dropped in the first 2 semesters and we just lost another one because they couldn't cut it with their grades. Oh and they also upped the passing requirements for the NBCRNA exam, meaning they increased the passing rate.
Having good letters of recommendations helps as well.
Good luck, you got a long road ahead of you. Keep focused on nursing school right now. Once you get your RN License then starting looking at your 5 year plan, because theres no being a CRNA without your RN License. Good luck.
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Why are you guys making this more difficult than it has to be? Scaring the little kids off... Geez. Are you even a CRNA? I got in 8 years ago with 1 year of experience. It can be done. Just have to know how to play the game. An anesthesia tech of ours was in nursing school and got in last year with 1 year of experience. I wouldn’t waste my time doing anything but CRNA. You don’t have to work 2 years of med surg. It’s called knowing the right people to get an ICU job right after school, willing to relocate if possible. Apply to schools in Florida, you WILL get in somewhere.
I understand that it does take hard work and dedication! And I'm completely willing to commit entirely, in fact I already have. I'm about to start my sophmore year at VSU, and my grades are really good. It was just my first semester that I messed up a little bit, won't the review committee see that I had only one bad semester? And then look at how all of my other semesters I've had good grades? I really
do want to be a CRNA. I have researched it tremendously and talked to several nurses that work at the hospital, I'm trying to slowly make connections so that I can get into ICU as quickly as possible. The only reason I'm trying to get in with one year experience is because I'm using my dad's gi bill to pay for the program. I just hope that I'll be good enough to get into the CRNA program eventually.
Why are you guys making this more difficult than it has to be? Scaring the little kids off...
im not scaring anyone off, it being realistic. Look at what happened when all these people decided they wanted to go into nursing because they thought it was recession proof; that they'd always have a job? There's a huge surplus of new nurses in places all over the country who have no jobs. Recession proof? Hardly the case. There was someone in my class who literally dropped the first day because she wasn't sure if she really wanted to be a CRNA. Sorry but I think a lot of people say thy want to be a CRNA because of the money.
Atmorrison1995
8 Posts
When you say grades do matter, do you think I'll still be able to get in with that D in anatomy? I am retaking it this semester. What should I do to make myself competitive enough for an interview? I know that I have to always keep multiple colleges on hand, but I just really want to go to GRU. Do you like the school? How is it? What was your gpa going in? Did you mess up on classes like I did with anatomy? I apologize for so many questions I just really want to succeed.