Nursing admission essay..Is military experience good to write about?

[jreneex2]

Hi, I was just wondering if anyone could give me a little feedback about my nursing admission essay. I am acutually working on two. One has a specific question for Umass Boston, about how a specific decision impacted my life and the other is for a community college. This one is to adress why I want to be a nurse and why I would be a good candidate for their program. I had an idea to incorporate my military experience into the essay. I decided to join when I was just 17 (now 35), I did this to have money for college and obtain the medical training that I always knew I wanted. I stayed in for 13 years. During which they sent me to school for Respiratory Therapy. I have been doing that for the past 11 years. My children are now grown enough to go back and expand upon my medical experience and obtain my RN. I have repeated all of my science courses over the past year (summer included) and got all A's. (They were over 10years old). What I love about nursing is the many doors it will open up for me and the opportunities to continue my education. It encompasses everything I love about being a respiratory therapist, except it adds so many more opportunities and new challenges for me. I am very interested in pursuing a role in education. I am not sure which way I should go with this, It seems "all over the place". Any suggestions?

[Coriander, BSN, RN]

I absolutely think that you should include your military experience in your essay. Being in the military takes dedication and a LOT of self-discipline. I learned a lot about that in the Navy Reserves. It also shows that you are able to learn while being under a lot of pressure.

Congratulations on your decision to join the military. I'm happy to know that you want to take that experience into the nursing field. :)

[jreneex2]

Thank you for your reply. I appreciate your comments and feedback. It is great to have that from someone that was in the reserves as well! I was just worried that I was using the essay as an autobiography instead of why I want to be a nurse...Maybe I should use it as a foundation in which I am building off of that I have gained during my life in the military and working in the medical field.

JEN

[Coriander, BSN, RN]

We didn't have to write an essay for our application, but I did include a cover letter explaining why I wanted to be a nurse and why I thought I would be a good candidate. I included things about my own life (grandmother's care in Hospice) and my own military training. I think it's important that they see you as a human being and not just a name on an application. :)