breezee9

You can start your application to the NCP when you have received a letter from an accredited nursing school and it has to be for a nursing program where you are getting a BSN. Your application is composed of a security clearance, copies of some personal records (i.e., birth certificate, social security card, etc.), resume, instructor references, employment references, character references, transcripts, finger prints, and a few other things depending on your situation. You will also have to go to MEPS and get medically qualified. No you do not submit SAT or high school grades, they are purely looking at your college GPA. As long as you work with your recruiter and complete your kit and turn it into boards on time you will be looked at. At boards they will choose who will be given a slot. The number admitted depends on the year and the need of the Navy. It is a very competitive program. There are plenty of threads with great information on this board that deal with the Navy NCP.

I really don't know how many slots are offered per fiscal year but it always depends on what the Navy needs, but all the branches are going through cutbacks at the moment. As far as boards, I believe they used to meet almost monthly but they are cutting that down as well. I think they are only meeting a few times each year now. But these are two good questions to ask a recruiter as well.

You can start talking to a recruiter at anytime, but you can't start the application process for the NCP until you have received a letter stating you have been accepted into an accredited nursing school. The process can take anywhere from a few months to a year. It all depends on you and how quickly you want to finish your kit and how organized your recruiter is. The more you show that you are really interested in doing the NCP and are dedicated, the more inclined they are to help you move it along. I started talking to my recruiter in late March/early April once I got my letter and finished my kit by early August. You will need recommendation letters from professors so make sure you make the initiative to make a good relationship with a few of them now. Your GPA is really good and any work relating to health care, even volunteering will look good on your resume. Key thing to remember is that you are trying to show the Navy why they need you/have to have you. It isn't about what the Navy can do for you, but what you can do for the Navy first as an officer and then as a nurse. If you have anymore specific questions regarding the application let me know, like I said I just submitted my kit in August and waiting for the boards to meet sometime this month.

I am currently a sophomore in college looking at joining either the Army or Navy Nurse Corps. I really want to be able to further my education and get a graduate degree, but at the same time don't really know what I want to further myself as (thinking Nurse Practitioner at the moment). I am debating whether to apply for the Nurse Candidate Programs offered by the two branches or wait to apply once I am in graduate school. My main question is, if I were to join one of the branches after receiving my BSN, how hard is it to be approved to go and get a graduate degree, and how long do you have to wait in order to get it approved? The recruiter I spoke with said you can get approved to go to grad school after 2 years of service. Is this right? Any insight or advice of which way would be more beneficial would be awesome! Thanks :)

I am currently a college sophomore and planning on joining one of the service branches. I have been looking quite a bit at the Nurse Candidate Program the Army and Navy offer, however, I do want to further my BSN and become a Nurse Practitioner. My question is would it be better to try and enter after getting my BSN and get the branch to help pay for grad school, or wait until after I get my NP degree? My biggest issue is that I don't want to wait 5 or so years after I get my BSN to get my Master's. Any advice or knowledge of how soon a nurse can go back and further their degree while serving would be awesome! Thanks so much! :)

Is there any advice you can give on the application process, when to really start? What made you choose the navy? Is there anything that could really help my chances on getting accepted, volunteering, etc.? Really appreciate any advice you can give me. Thanks :)

Is there any advice you can give on the application process, when to really start? What made you choose the navy? Is there anything that could really help my chances on getting accepted, volunteering, etc.? Really appreciate any advice you can give me. Thanks :)

I have begun looking at doing the NCP program as well. I start applying to nursing schools this fall so I am trying to stay ahead of the game so if I do apply I have a shot of getting in the program at the beginning of my junior year. Has anyone else looked at the Army Nurse Candidate Program? I am trying to figure out which would fit me best, because I am set on joining the service for nursing, just need to see what branch. I like the travel and places the Navy go, but the Army has some of the top facilities. Any advice or pointers would be awesome!