Navy Direct Accession Competitiveness

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Hello, everyone.

I am in the process of applying for the Navy's Direct Accession to be part of the Navy Nurse Corps. I am in a BSN program and graduate June 2014! I have heard that the direct accession is very competitive, so I'm wondering how much of a shot I'll have at getting in. Although I don't have work experience as an RN, I have a 3.9 GPA (Dean's list twice) and am in a leadership position as well as other organizations. That said, I know I will be competing for acceptance against people who are already RN's with work experience. How much of a chance do new grads have of getting accepted?

Thanks! :)

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Specializes in Field Medical Trauma.

Iv been talking to a Navy medical recruiter for the past two months. If your grades are as good as you say they are and you have taken the NCLEX and passed you should be talking to a Navy health care recruiter yourself.

Iv been getting an application ready for the nurse candidate program myself and after completing my BSN with a minimum 3.0 GPA I immediately head out for officer candidate school. Supposedly there is no better time since it was 2003 to get your nurse corps officer commission in the Navy.

A little off topic but for some reason the Army has been getting really strict about there nurse corps officer programs. The Army must be offering bonuses or something, in the past it was the Navy that was the tougher of the two to get into(or so my health care recruiter says :p). ANYWHO! good luck to you! I hope to be in the same spot your at in a couple years. :)

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I am talking to a Medical Programs Officer Recruiter, and she is the one who I've been working with to get the application done. I didn't qualify for the NCP because I'll be graduating too soon, so that's why I'm going for the direct accession. I find out in February if I'm in and then, after graduating, sit for (and pass) the NCLEX, and then off to ODS! Have you already had your interviews? You said you are getting your application ready for the NCP, so how are you already heading out to OCS? Also, I think it's ODS, at least that's what I'm going to, if I get accepted. Just want to understand clearly :) And yes, I also heard that it's harder to get into the Army. I was told that you have to have a year's worth of experience before you can apply to the Army. Did you graduate nursing school and work first, or are you going in as a new grad? Or have you not graduated yet, sorry it wasn't clear.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
A little off topic but for some reason the Army has been getting really strict about there nurse corps officer programs. The Army must be offering bonuses or something, in the past it was the Navy that was the tougher of the two to get into(or so my health care recruiter says :p).

The Army is overstrength and is getting very picky/choosy about new accessions -- there are very few slots. Even when I was selected in 2010 for commissioning in 2011, there were 400+ applicants and only 50-something selected. It's very competitive. And while there are still bonuses, they are diminishing or becoming more strict with the criteria. Sounds like Navy and Air Force are easier these days! Though all branches are becoming more competitive overall, as we've seen just here in this forum over the last few years.

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It's because the Army does all of the fun stuff! ;)

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Ironically, we Army people were asked to start taking "Navy showers" today to conserve water, a precious resource here in Afghanistan. Lol

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What is a navy shower?

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
What is a navy shower?

Apparently it entails turning off the water while washing hair or lathering up -- you only turn on the water when actively rinsing. I am the master of the super-fast shower anyway -- I don't like to spend a lot of time in latrines! :)

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Specializes in Field Medical Trauma.
I am talking to a Medical Programs Officer Recruiter, and she is the one who I've been working with to get the application done. I didn't qualify for the NCP because I'll be graduating too soon, so that's why I'm going for the direct accession. I find out in February if I'm in and then, after graduating, sit for (and pass) the NCLEX, and then off to ODS! Have you already had your interviews? You said you are getting your application ready for the NCP, so how are you already heading out to OCS? Also, I think it's ODS, at least that's what I'm going to, if I get accepted. Just want to understand clearly :) And yes, I also heard that it's harder to get into the Army. I was told that you have to have a year's worth of experience before you can apply to the Army. Did you graduate nursing school and work first, or are you going in as a new grad? Or have you not graduated yet, sorry it wasn't clear.

Sorry, I was in a bit of a hurry when I wrote that response lol. First off it is ODS not OCS, im getting my packet together now but I still need to have my physical review and no I have not had interviews yet. Im just getting started on my BSN so a have a couple years to go before I can get too excited about it lol.

Its weird, when you look at the goarmy web site and look at certain nursing specialties they each have different requirements. Some say the two years experience but others say just a BSN with a year experience and some others with different requirements. I'm assuming the two years experience that iv been hearing from Army medical recruiters is the standard for an active duty commission. It could also be something as simple as goarmy just advertising in house requirements if your already commissioned in the Army as a nurse corps officer. but anyhow good luck! that sounds really exciting :)

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Thank you! I have my two interviews next week so wish me luck! :)

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I heard it's really competitive, though not impossible. You should have joined your college's ROTC program.

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