Number of Applicants?

coconutzz · Jan 17, 2012

When I applied to the NTP board in May 2011, I was told that 150 people applied and 25 were selected.

UCAFblue · Jan 17, 2012

Thanks for the reply coconutzz! A 16% selection rate is pretty intimidating. Were you one of the 25 selected?

And another question about the boards - are the officers who are on the nurse selection boards actually AF nurses, or can they be any type of officer?

jeckrn, BSN, RN · Jan 17, 2012

In the last few years the number of applicants for all services has gone up with the number selected has been decreasing. In the Army from what others have posted on 15 were picked up for direct commission. With the drawdown the numbers will only get worse, be the best that you can be and give it a shot. As the NY lottery use to say, "hey, you never know".

coconutzz · Jan 19, 2012

No, I wasn't selected. I was told that there were so many applicants that some people's applications were not even looked over. They just used arbitrary criteria to decrease the number of applications they actually had to review. That meant that when I asked for feedback on why I wasn't selected, I was told they didn't actually make any notes on my packet or give me a reason why I wasn't selected, just too many applicants. I was told to get one year of experience and try again, so that is what I am doing. I was really disappointed when I wasn't selected. My advice would be to apply, but also have a palatable back up plan if you don't get in on your first, or subsequent, attempts.

NursePamela · Jan 19, 2012

Curious as to what criteria they use?? Do they take most experienced first?? Most certificates first? Youngest first? Oldest first? Do veterans get preference? ???

docteri · Jan 19, 2012

I did not even get my packet submitted. My recruiter said my weight was the first issue. I have been steadily losing, but she did not care. My GPA is great, but not high enough. And lastly, we had a problem with our rental house (not our primary residence) that is on my credit. As a kid I broke my left arm, it needed a medical waiver. Basically she said that because it is so competative the was only submitting the "perfect" applicant. I think that meant high GPA with no waivers. I don't think age had much to do with it, but don't know.

UCAFblue · Jan 23, 2012

Docteri, if you don't mind sharing, what is your GPA? That's one area I'm a little concerned about with myself. By the time my application is submitted I will probably have a 3.4 or 3.5. And were you applying for fully qualified or NTP?

coconutzz · Jan 23, 2012

I figure I'll share my GPA because that was something I was wondering too when I applied to NTP. My nursing GPA was 3.8 and my GPA from my first degree was 3.4. I was never given an exact answer as to what the criteria were but it was alluded to that it had to do with graduation date. The boards I applied to were one month before my graduation. People who graduated the semester before already had their RN license and seemed to have a better shot at being selected.

docteri · Jan 24, 2012

My nursing gpa is 4.0, overall is 3.4. She did not want my transcripts before she was laughingly telling me no. I still have about 9 mos left in school, so my overall should go higher. I am looking for the NTP program. I will not let her scare me.

UCAFblue · Jan 24, 2012

Thank you both for sharing your GPAs. My GPA definitely is not as good as either of yours at this point, but hopefully it will improve since I still have a few semesters to go. If the criteria for eliminating applicants has to do with graduation date, I probably don't have much of a chance - by the time the board meets I'll have about 9 months left until graduation. Any idea if it is possible to apply to NTP twice? I assume that if there is an NTP board next year then it will be before I have 6 months of experience, so it would be great to try again if I don't get selected this time.

Docteri, I can't believe your recruiter is being so harsh with you, none of the things you mentioned seem like that big of a deal. Also, just because someone is a perfect applicant doesn't mean they will be a better nurse (at least in my opinion). I thought it was all about the "whole person" concept? Sounds like they are probably missing out on some good people if it is true that they aren't looking over all of the applications.

docteri · Jan 24, 2012

I was told by my recruiter that if I go to the board and get denied, I must wait 12 months for going to the next board.