CCURNCO

Don't stress about your grades too much, they take other factors into consideration as I've mentioned earlier in this thread. You meet the requirements and your experience will be an asset. Regarding MEPS, you are by no means making a commitment to the Army at that time. You are only %100 committed after taking your Oath of Office and signing your contract when you commission, which is the very end of this process, just before going to officer's basic. Even after being accepted into the program and claiming your seat in the class, you are still not committed to the Army at that time (though I hope that you would hold to that commitment should you accept a seat). It's actually very hard to become an officer in the military. Rest assured that once you commit to USAGPAN, the Army wont pull a quick one on you and assign you to something else. They need CRNA's and qualified candidates to fill the future needs of the Army. My situation has been very complicated, and the Army has gone out of their way to find a creative solution while guaranteeing (in writing, in multiple documents) that I have not only been guaranteed a seat in next year's class, but also have orders to attend next year's class. Though we will be at the disposal of the Army, they will do their best to take care of you. Will all of that said, welcome and best of luck! I hope this helps and please let me know if you have further questions.

Dylan, based on your experience, your grades, and having your CCRN, I would say that you are a competitive candidate. Don't stress about your grades too much. So long as you meet the standards, which it looks like you do, the Army will definitely consider you. During my interview, the Army wanted to know about my personal life, and experiences outside of academics. They want to know that you will be able to balance your personal life with a very demanding doctoral program. It is something that was actually very heavily stressed and evaluated during my interview. If you are married/have kids, they will want to see that you have a supportive environment at home, and that you and your family are aware of the necessary sacrifices ahead. They will want to know why you have chosen to pursue Anesthesia school. Again, it's not all about academics (from my experience). Your Phase 2 interviewers will examine your character, family life, and of course academics too. They want to have some level of confidence that you will persevere through the challenges, which are far greater than that of civilian CRNA school. A lot of it is about aptitude and fortitude. Your GPA, GRE scores, LOR's and CCRN prove your aptitude, while your life experiences, character, flexibility, honest self awareness, and never surrender attitude will demonstrate fortitude. Regarding your question about GPA and GRE scores, I will tell you that I dug a deep hole for myself during my first undergrad degree. However, I got a 4.0 in my nursing school prerequisites, and 3.9 in nursing school. Though I didn't apply myself during my first undergraduate degree, the Army valued the fact that I was/am super invested in my success thereafter. Your GRE scores can really make or break your chances of getting to the interview and into the program. As mentioned earlier, a score of 300 or greater cumulative (ideally 150 or above in both the verbal and math sections), with at least a 3.5 on the written section is necessary, though this appears not to be listed on the Baylor website. My GRE scores were just above the requirements. I hope this helps!

Greetings all! I wanted to extend my willingness to help anyone seeking to enter USAGPAN next year. Long story short, I was accepted into the FY18 USAGPAN class last November, but am unable to begin the program this year in June since I did not scroll in time to attend DCC and BOLC (basic training). The "Scroll" is the process in which your packet goes before Congress and the Secretary of Defense for final approval to commission. This happens after you submit your application to the Army, where it will then go before the Army "Boards". The Army Boarding process took approximately 3 months to complete. Along the way, I was told that the Scroll should take between 30-60 days. Unfortunately that was not the case, as I finally Scrolled only last week, making the Scroll a 5 month long ordeal. This is not always the case. Many other candidates in my position Scrolled at the very last minute in time to go to DCC. One candidate Scrolled the Friday before DCC began the following Monday. The very last minute. It was an incredibly frustrating time, as both the Army and I were at the mercy of the government. I am not the only person that this has happened to, as one of the FY18 candidates was held back from the FY17 class due to similar circumstances. The application process is long and daunting, but I encourage you all to get both your Army and Baylor applications completed and submitted ASAP, the sooner the better. The Army Boards, if I recall correctly, occur quarterly. I believe that the next Boards will be in July, though I would confirm this with your recruiters. At the same time, I encourage you all to thoughtfully consider your decision to pursue Army Anesthesia vs. the civilian world. USAGPAN is the best CRNA program and offers training that is second to none! However, you will be at the disposal of the Army, you and your family will face hardships, and you will be deployed. I began my application process in January of 2017 when I first met with my recruiter. I did not submit my application until mid August, which is less than a month before it was due. The reason? I spent that entire time soul searching, talking this decision over with my wife, and praying on it. It is a heavy decision, and one that should not be taken lightly. In fact, during your 3 day interview, they will want to see that you have thoroughly considered this decision, and are fully aware of the sacrifices needed to complete the program. Your character and resilience is weighed very heavily during your interview. Had I submitted my application sooner, I would likely begin the program this year as planned. That is the moral of this story. With that said, do take all the time you and your family need to weigh this decision. That is more important. Some have asked about CCRN being necessary to be accepted. I will tell you that it is not. I was accepted without having my CCRN at the time. I was also told during my interview that I was an incredibly competitive candidate and that they would be shocked if I was not accepted. With that said, I encourage you all to get your CCRN, as it will make you more competitive and can count towards rank experience. Prioritize studying for and completing your GRE though, as the GRE is a requisite and is a much more painful test to both prepare for and take. A list of things you will all need to complete: -GRE top priority! I used the official ETS manual to study. It was painful, but ensured success. -If you haven't yet, schedule a meeting with an Army Medical Recruiter. -LOR's (I had 5 and was asked to produce another during the Boarding process. One will need to come from your director, and one will come from the Army Officer in charge of your interview.) -Get cracking on the ACE app! It is long and extremely detailed. Your recruiter will likely request more and more information along the way, this is not uncommon. -Complete MEPS, it is usually a prerequisite to having your interview scheduled. MEPS is not a pleasant experience, but just get it out of the way. Also, be sure to tell them that you are an Officer Candidate! They should treat you better and get you through faster, though this is not a guarantee. -Start working out now! The more fit you are, the better things will go. If any of you want tips, I would be happy to offer some. -Carefully consider your decision. You, your family, and the Army will very much value this! So where do I stand now? I have been guaranteed a slot and have already been placed in the FY19 class. I will likely go to DCC in June and report to Ft. Sam Houston to work as a critical care nurse up until the beginning of next year's program. It is not the path that I had planned for, but it is all working out. I hope this post is of help to you all, and please feel free to ask me any further questions that you may have. I look forward to meeting you all next year! Best, Nick