mursebryan

With your qualifications, you should be "acceptable." This may feel awkward, but I think you should gather a few impartial skilled interviewer friends who will interview you and critique you objectively. They should be CRNA's who have a familiarity with the programs you are targeting. Ultimately, if you are meeting acceptance requirements but not getting accepted, there may be some quirk in your presentation of your self that can be trained to better fit the programs. It's always OK to approach the director of a program you have been denied and ask what they think you could have done better on or what additional qualification you need. Consider being that forward. All this is assuming you're not carrying a prison record or a 900 GRE score or some other interesting disqualifier. Above all, you are demonstrating determination which is a strong trait. Keep at it despite the discouraging setbacks. Bryan

I am taking the Economics and Theory courses. I'm just ready to get started. Sounds like our group is half local and half out of state. You all will enjoy the area. Great place to live. Best, Bryan

Start in Jan... 28 mos long

Hey, Mikey-00... late reply to your post but I did pass CCRN and got ACCEPTED to Western Carolina Univ! Super psyched. They asked me in the interview to re-explain my letter of appeal for my grades from 20 years ago (2.0 English BA). I made no apologies, stated that the GPA was embarrassing, then spent the next minute describing what I had done in the past 5 years to abdicate that record. So, it worked. Oh, and I just turned 42 to answer the other question. I had an interview at Duke, but passed as WCU is my first choice. You guys keep at it. It'll happen. Bryan

There are numerous areas that are cool to live in while you're here...check out West Asheville (Haywood Ave area) which is hip for young families, pedestrian shopping, close to alot of stuff including WCU Enka campus. Don't know much about schools for kids. If you're in the area scouting, feel free to call. Eight two eight, 2311941. Best, Bryan

Hey Kyle and Sallie, congrats and I'll be joining you all too. My friend Melanie from CVICU is also attending. Do you all know any others? Kyle, if you decide to uproot and come down, I grew up in Asheville and would be happy to put you in touch with realtors or simply give advice on where to live etc. shoot me a pm if you want. Congrats! Bryan

I passed CCRN with only using the AACN Core Review practice tests (3 paper, one electronic). I felt the test was hard, so judging by everyone else's posts, I'd do it all again using Gasparis videos.

Hey Sallie... I work in CVICU at MH too. Used to work occasionally in NTICU when I was in the staffing pool. How're you liking your new setting? Did Mark apply? We took a GRE prep class together. I thought I replied to your post earlier, but don't see it. I interview at 0800 tomorrow. First one. Hitting the sack now. I bet I'll be up at 0300...

Got an interview at Duke on the 31st. When is your interview at WCU? B

Got my call yesterday (16th). Interview is on the 31st. They offered an interview on the 28th, 29th and 30th too so they must have either a bunch of them or they are flexible with time. Anyone know the interview format? How many and who is in the panel? They told me to be there at 0830 and be done at 1630... must include a tour of the facility I hope because if it's 8 hours under the heat lamp I'll have to bring extra deodorant.

Heck yea... but get your Dad to hook you up with CRNA's there too.

I know this is a reply to an old post... I've been reviewing primarily with the Core Review (Alspach) book. Am I to believe that if I scored 112/150 on a practice test, that this is really 112/125 because they only count 125 of the 150 questions? So, IOW, this was a good score? Just trying to ease the tension of preparing... my exam is on the 17th. Thanks

Just chiming in... I took the ADN then ICU experience while getting BSN route, and now have applied to two anesthesia programs (first interview is on the 23rd...). I went to nursing school at age 35 and my first degree was a BA English in 1990 with a crappy GPA. Personally, I discovered I wanted to be a CRNA during my first year in my associates program, and I wrote out a time line to acheive it: ADN 2005, immediate hire into ICU, BSN by May 2007, start anesthesia school Fall 2007. I was too ambitious in retrospect. While an associate student, I was told that the ICU's didn't hire new grads but after digging into it, I discovered a couple that did (my hospital is a 800 bed Level II Trauma center with 5 adult ICU's). I was strongly discouraged by one of my instructors who felt new grads can't have the experience necessary to safely manage critically ill patients. However, I knew I wanted to work intensive care, put the app's out there and my first job right out of school was in a 14 bed MSICU. Best start to my career I could imagine. I had a 6 month orientation. The orientation was as intense as school, so I couldn't imagine taking RN-BSN classes and I deferred that program till later. In the meantime, I really enjoyed learning the role of an ICU RN. I have since moved from that ICU into the CVICU, a fantastic learning environment for any aspiring CRNA. I didn't know of any accelerated BSN programs in my area, and back in 2003 when I was starting to think of nursing school the idea of getting another 4 year degree over 4 years did not appeal to me. Ultimately, I spent four years getting my BSN (24 mos ADN, 23 mos RN-BSN). Additionally, I retook Statistics which I got a D in years ago, and I took microbiology and organic chem to make sure I had the pre-req's for any school (I looked into school pre-req's back in 2004). That said, the less intense pace of the RN-BSN (all-online too) was nice and I easily managed a high GPA while working full-time in CV. In the final analysis, I extended my CRNA deadline by a few years, but I have now applied claiming 4 solid years of ICU experience, and a high GPA. Some people are able to do it much quicker...If I were to do it over, I'd find an accelerated BSN program (13 months, I've read) and then build experience in intensive care before applying to CRNA programs. If you know you want to be a CRNA (and don't just think about it, shadow a couple in the OR, get to know the work), then streamline the process. You have to have a BSN. Get that. You have to have ICU experience. Get that. Be expeditious. But of all things, you must be a stellar student and you must have adequate experience. So if you rush things and get a bad grade in a science class or you apply with barely a year out of school experience, expect to be low on the totem pole. And of all things, enjoy the process. These last four years have been awesome! Best of luck in your plans and wish me luck getting into a CRNA program! Bryan

I had a horrible GPA from my first Bachelor's degree in English (of all things). My nursing school GPA is much better. I did have to appeal the school's policy and asked them to look at my record from the past 5 years and they did that. Part of the reason they said they'd look at my current record is I scored well on the GRE (1220 with a 5 on the written part). I'm also taking the CCRN exam next week. Assuming I pass that, I should have a pretty competitive application. So do everything you can to demonstrate you have what it takes to succeed in CRNA school. If you have low grades in any post secondary sciences you may want to retake those (O chem, microbio, etc.). Otherwise, sounds like you already are doing things right. A 3.9 is stellar. I have an interview for one CRNA school in a couple of weeks. Another application is pending. Wish me luck! And best luck to you too.

Some schools average every course you take post HS... in other words, your HS transcript is null. That said, be prepared to write an appeal for courses/ classes you did poorly in, especially if they are science courses, etc. Demonstrate why you are now able to perform well whereas in the past you had whatever problem with academics you had. Also try to build your current resume as best you can. Get your CCRN. Score high on the GRE. Take a grad level course and get an A. Prove you are capable of high performance now. They will accept you. I've been told that many applicants are in the same boat. So go forward. Best wishes