NCP application and selection process questions

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Hi, currently I am in school going for my ADN. I will graduate in December of this year. I plan to apply right away to a BSN program that starts in January. Their program only takes a year and it is all online and it is CCNE accredited. I plan to work while I am completing that. I am a prior enlisted sailor, and I loved my service in the Navy. I got out to pursue my nursing dream. I would love to get back in as a Nurse Corps Officer. Before reading through some of these forums, I didn't realize that the NCP could be such a huge process. I'm not sure I would even have enough time to apply. With that being said, I just have some questions on the process, and the criteria for selection.

1. A recruiter informed me that as soon as I get a selection letter to my BSN program, I can apply at any time. Is that correct? If not, when are the application dates?

2. The university that offers the BSN will open the application submission in September of 2013. The deadline is in October. I'm guessing I will find out if I got accepted in mid-October to November time frame. Will that even be enough time to apply for the NCP? As I said before, the program I am applying for is only a year long.

3. Currently I am in IRR status with the Navy Reserve as an enlisted member. Will that be beneficial when filling out paperwork?

4. What sort of paperwork is involved?

5. How competitive is the NCP?

6. Will my prior service give me an edge? Also, if I start working while I'm completing my BSN, that should help too, correct?

7. I seen their are boards for applying, what are some questions they may ask you, and how would you recommend preparing for them?

8. My husband is currently an active enlisted member in the Navy and we have a daughter. Will they work with me on co-locating us? My husband is an aircraft mechanic and works on F/A-18s. We are in florida now, but I know he can go back to Oceana easily. Is there a strong chance I can be stationed at Portsmouth?

It has been my ultimate dream to continue serving my country and being commissioned as a Nurse Corps officer. Any answers you may offer would be awesome and greatly appreciated. Thank you

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I'm currently in the NCP. I graduate next month, so I can speak to the application process.

1. Yes, you may submit your application package at anytime. This requires a letter of acceptance from the BSN program, but you can start putting together the application before you get the letter which is what I'd recommend. Once you submit the application, you have to wait until the board meets. How often do they meet? I never got a clear answer from my recruiter. It seemed like monthly but that might depend on the time of year.

2. Can you explain the situation and ask for early acceptance? I'd have all the other paperwork done.

3. Not sure.

4. Lot of forms. Some medical history questionnaires. A security clearance form. You have to get all of your medical records. I had to call around to four ERs for med records from high school for minor sports injuries. I had to get clearance from my orthopedic surgeon because I had two minor knee surgeries. You have to write an essay. You have to list references; I think I had to have three character references, three academic, and several employer references.

5. I think it really depends on when you apply and how many slots they have. They fill slots as the applications come in.

6. I would think so. Definitely can't hurt. Working as an RN? Again can't hurt but you need to apply ASAP.

7. Your recruiter sends your application to the board. You never meet or hear from them; at least, I didn't. You do have two interviews with Navy nurses. Mine was one interview with two nurses though and they mostly talked with each other. Anyways, they will ask simple questions like why do you want to be a nurse, why the Navy and you get to ask them questions. Again I felt mine went terrible and I got in. It was very informal and low stress.

8. Not sure. I can tell you I got my first choice duty station and that they prefer to not have to move you across the country.

Good luck!

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Thank you so much for the info kkn847. That definitely helpful. I'm going to be contacting a recruiter this week to get started! One question..I chatted with a recruiter online from navy.com. They informed me that eventually enlisted will be handling officer recruiting, but as of now they don't. Well, when I went to call and contact someone, of course I got strung around to a few people, but I eventually made contact with an NC1. Just wondering if you had the same or if you knew if they can recruit for officers?

Thanks again.

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Hi,

My experience was possibly a little different, but here are my answers based on that.

1. My recruiter wouldn't work with me until I had my acceptance to a BSN program. I was really interested in getting things together as much as I could so that I could get my application completed asap and the only thing he said was I could gather transcripts. So it may depend on your recruiter.

2. My application process took a year from receiving the acceptance letter to hearing that I had been selected. I believe that is definitely on the long side, but my advice is just go for it until they tell you no.

3. Not sure.

4. kkn847 covered it pretty well.

5. My understanding is that there are still more people interested than slots, so it is competitive. Keep your GPA up. Working may help, but you are also competing with a group of people who don't have RN experience, so they aren't necessarily expecting that (obviously ones in a situation like yours, may). However, any opportunities to show leadership are always good.

6, 7 & 8 - kkn847 covered and my answers would be pretty much the same.

Be sure that you contact a health professions recruiter only. You can search online for your nearest health professions recruiter and go from there. Good luck!

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Thank you so much. It sounds like everyone has had different experiences. I hope if I can apply it will go quickly. Otherwise I might be graduated by the time I find out an answer. Haha. Again, I appreciate all your help.

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No one caught this, but I'm pretty sure they don't take online degree seeking students. I read it somewhere when I was doing research. I'll try to find a source.

edit #1

i can't find it but from this thread it looks like it is possible

https://allnurses.com/government-military-nursing/navy-ncp-online-842707.html

Sorry, I don't mean to confuse you, but I swear I read it somewhere before that online degrees weren't accepted. If you find out, could you let me know as well because I'm curious now.

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I appreciate the heads up. No confusion. I know for sure it has be accredited, which it is, and full-time. I don't know if its full time. It's an RN-BSN program. If you can find the info where it says, that would be great. I'm going to be calling a recruiter this week.

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

I think maybe for the purposes of NCP, the program cannot be online, but it doesn't matter for direct commission as long as it's an accredited program. I think this was the deal a few years ago, it might have changed - I first started looking into the military in late 2009.

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I just got off the phone with a medical recruiter in Denver and was told that they DO NOT accept RN-BSN online degrees. The chief that I spoke with said it is an issue they have been trying fight. The degree must be a "brick and mortar" "boots on ground" program. I was the OP to the link that inspiredbynay posted about online degrees.

On to plan B for me...

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Then what's the deal with linnaete's situation??? How did this person get into NCP through an online program? Something doesn't match here...

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I agree, I'm just as confused as you are.

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Any updates on this??

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