My situation, and getting into CRNA school. Do I have a shot?

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Hey guys, so here's my situation - I am going to community college right now. When I started I was pre-majoring in journalism. This was RIGHT before the economic crash, and apparently journalism jobs were scarce before, their dead now. I began thinking of options and alternatives.

I decided to go into nursing. The more I thought about it, and the closer I am getting to get into the nursing program, the more excited I became. It's like, this was my dream career all along! It will offer me WAY more towards my passions (which is cultures and work abroad) than journalism ever would, not to mention there work in many (many!) ways is more challenging. It's surprising to me, but I think it's my calling.

SO! Before I made this decision I had a LOT of classes under my belt... I didn't really think in terms of a masters, and my GPA now is only 3.3. Last semester was my first semester as a pre-RN major. I made a 4.0. By the time I get into the nursing program, it will hopefully be around a 3.4, but by the time I'm done it will max probably be a 3.5. I will only have to take one semester or so at a 4 year college to get my BSN (to cover some basic sciences and maths that weren't required for my ADN).

So this is the outlook - 3.5 GPA as an ADN, and one semester at a 4 year will be 4.0 (possible two semesters).

So I plan on working for about 4 years in ICU before applying to CRNA school to get my debt under control, and to save up. I certainly want to delve into volunteering as a nurse anywhere and everywhere (I would do this regardless because I think it's really important, whatever your proffesion is, to use it in a way that betters the world and not just for the money). But I want to spend a lot of time overseas, specifically africa, as a volunteer nurse.

So that's what my resume would look like as I applied for CRNA school in 6 or 7 years from now (I know anything can happen).

What is the outlook to get in? I know it's really competitive, so I'm concerned about getting my GPA as high as I can now...

any advice?

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Specializes in STICU; cross-trained in CCU, MICU, CVICU.

Your GPA is fine...get either Surigal/Trauma ICU or CardioVascular ICU experience....if you have time get your CCRN cert.... 4 years is pefect amount of time. Highly recommend to get your debt under control prior to going. Your plan sounds like it will work out. Many people don't neccessarily have the most stellar GPA's that still get in...Your GPA is well within the acceptance range so don't stress over it.

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Specializes in PICU.

I agree with the last replier,

Your GPA will be fine as you described it, but the kicker will be when you get an interview that you explain to them how the last four years as a RN you've been saving money and getting out of debt. This is exactly what I did, and I made that known to the adcomm. Your volunteer service will be looked highly upon by the adcomm, and extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and other leadership roles you can take on in your unit will make the difference between you and someone else with a similar GPA. Good luck!

Sean

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Your GPA is fine...get either Surigal/Trauma ICU or CardioVascular ICU experience....if you have time get your CCRN cert.... 4 years is pefect amount of time. Highly recommend to get your debt under control prior to going. Your plan sounds like it will work out. Many people don't neccessarily have the most stellar GPA's that still get in...Your GPA is well within the acceptance range so don't stress over it.

Even though it's a GPA from a community college?

But thanks for the advice and the encouragement! I'll definitely look into focusing my ICU to that. I'll probably for the first year have to accept whatever position I can get (what will be helpful is I don't care how far I have to move to accept a job, which means between NC and Cali, there are well over a million hospitals to apply too) but it'll all be to work towards my one goal.

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I agree with the last replier,

Your GPA will be fine as you described it, but the kicker will be when you get an interview that you explain to them how the last four years as a RN you've been saving money and getting out of debt. This is exactly what I did, and I made that known to the adcomm. Your volunteer service will be looked highly upon by the adcomm, and extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and other leadership roles you can take on in your unit will make the difference between you and someone else with a similar GPA. Good luck!

Sean

Wow thanks a lot for the reply :).

I will certainly take that into consideration when interviewing. I've been reading on these forums, and I saw one poster said she/he did things like putting themselves in any and all leadership roles, volunteering for sepsis duties and such.

Are there a lot of opportunities for these kinds of things in hospitals?

The more I discuss this the more I get excited.

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Specializes in STICU; cross-trained in CCU, MICU, CVICU.

Quite honestly, if you can find a hospital that has a new grad critical care program then by all means go for it, if you have the means....Cannot stress that enough.....There are numerous programs out there, you just have to find them. Someone with your STATS should not have that much of a problem as long as you do the extracurriuclar stuff that goes along with attempting to get into school ie...obtaining certifications, SHADOWING, teaching classes if you have the opportunity etc... It can be done...Good luck...and remember, many people don't get in their first go around, if you should find yourself in that category, ask the admin committe why and do exactly what they tell you to do....then your almost guaranteed the next go around...

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