Looking for advice

[xaxxax]

Hello all, crna hopeful here. I failed to gain admission to anesthesia school this past cycle and I am looking for ways to improve my application for the coming cycle. I know anesthesia is for me. There is nothing else I can see myself doing. I've reached out to the admissions counselors at my prospective school for advice, but in the meantime I would appreciate any advice from current snras/crnas. Thanks in advance.

At time of last application:

1.5 years stepdown experience

1 year icu experience- cardiac/medical in large medical center

CCRN

Mediocre grades. 3.5 BSN gpa, science gpa mostly Cs/Bs

30+ hours shadowing crnas

Code Blue RN

By the time I apply this coming cycle I will have added to the above:

1 year CVICU experience recovering open hearts

CMC

CSC

1 year volunteering at free healthcare clinic

Shared governance member

Re-took intro to gen/organic/biochem with an A

Anything else I can do? My prospective schools do not require the GRE, although I am considering taking it as well.

Thanks again.

[CRNA, DNSc]

Take a graduate level science, Intro to blah, blah, blah is not impressive to an admissions committee.

[therockobama]

Your stats already look pretty solid. Heeding the advice of the previous poster and taking a graduate level science wouldn't hurt, but only if it is something you're sure you can get an A on, otherwise, it'll end up hurting you. Make sure to do your research on the class before taking any. Do you have charge nurse experience? Some schools like that because it shows you have leadership skills.

Did you get an interview the past cycle? With your stats now, you should at least get an interview this year. And if you do get invited for an interview, make sure to prep on it. Leave no stone unturned. Every school has a different process for interviewing applicants so I suggest you do your research with that as well.

Just keep swingin' the bat! You'll hit a home run eventually!

Good luck!

[xaxxax]

Thank you both. I will definitely look into graduate level science courses. I have been looking into UNE's online science prereq courses, specifically biochemistry because I find it so interesting.

[E Class]

Practice your interviewing skills, graduate level classes with final grade of an A, get a CRNA that you shadowed to write you a reference, join more committees at work, precept and other things to show leadership skills and other than that you have everything else covered.

[xaxxax]

Thank you for the advice I will do that