Share your grad school application experiences... Please!

Moogie · Jan 7, 2011

Since you already have your ADN and a few years of nursing experience, I don't think you will have any trouble applying to graduate schools before you finish your BSN. You're in a very different position than a new graduate without any nursing experience, someone who might be encouraged or even required to have a minimum number of years of experience before getting into a program.

Keep your GPA up, look at the deadlines for the schools you're considering, and, if you need to take the GRE, start studying for it ASAP. You are also in a good position as your current instructors are familiar with your academic abilities and can write letters of recommendation for you. Sometimes, when a person hasn't been in school for a while, it's hard to get instructors to write letters of reference because it's been a while since they worked with you.

If you are eligible for membership in Sigma Theta Tau, I strongly urge you to accept. It will help your chances of getting into the school of your choice.

Also, make sure that you send in every transcript from every school---and while you don't want to send things too far ahead of the deadlines, try not to send materials too close to the dates in case things get lost. I've had letters of reference get lost as well as three of four transcripts. :hdvwl:

I think you're in a good place! Good luck and please keep us posted!

PAERRN20 · Jan 8, 2011

If you aren't finished with your BSN yet and won't graduate til December, I suggest you wait til fall to apply. I finished my BSN in May and starting sending applications in April and was accepted in the grad program in June. You need to take the GRE/MAT before you apply. Even if you do apply they can't make a decision til they get your scores. I would spend the next couple months brushing up for entrace exams, plan taking the GRE or MAT in the spring, and apply in the summer. Good luck.

smkiya, BSN, RN · Jan 8, 2011

If you aren't finished with your BSN yet and won't graduate til December, I suggest you wait til fall to apply. I finished my BSN in May and starting sending applications in April and was accepted in the grad program in June. You need to take the GRE/MAT before you apply. Even if you do apply they can't make a decision til they get your scores. I would spend the next couple months brushing up for entrace exams, plan taking the GRE or MAT in the spring, and apply in the summer. Good luck.

The programs I'm applying to actually don't have a GRE requirement, so that's one less headache...

applesRN · Jan 8, 2011

I know Frontier doesn't have a GRE requirement. Just one more reason that it is near the top of my list :) - it is in competition with Radford, JMU, and Duke.

Duke was at the very top of my list until I started the application tonight. Without any other mention on the website, the application tells me that online NP students only have the part-time option. If I do get into Duke, in order to actually attend there I would need some heavy financial aid- and that often requires full-time status! So, if I can't be fulltime, I probably can't go. I am going to ask a rep from Duke next week to make sure.

I just graduated with my BSN in December, and I considered rolling right into a NP program- but for financial aid reasons I am waiting until the fall- I have had serious thoughts of taking some classes that are sure to be accepted at other schools. Frontier allows 12 transfer credits- one of the most lenient I've found.

smkiya, BSN, RN · Jan 8, 2011

I know Frontier doesn't have a GRE requirement. Just one more reason that it is near the top of my list :) - it is in competition with Radford, JMU, and Duke.
Duke was at the very top of my list until I started the application tonight. Without any other mention on the website, the application tells me that online NP students only have the part-time option. If I do get into Duke, in order to actually attend there I would need some heavy financial aid- and that often requires full-time status! So, if I can't be fulltime, I probably can't go. I am going to ask a rep from Duke next week to make sure.
I just graduated with my BSN in December, and I considered rolling right into a NP program- but for financial aid reasons I am waiting until the fall- I have had serious thoughts of taking some classes that are sure to be accepted at other schools. Frontier allows 12 transfer credits- one of the most lenient I've found.

You know, I hadn't considered that. If I could do 6 credits as a non-matriculated student somewhere while I await the start of the program.... I wonder if I could!

Stcroix, ASN, PhD, RN · Jan 8, 2011

I agree with previous comments. One thing to add, I was on a graduate selection committee long ago. The applicants were required to write an essay as part of package. The FIRST thing we did was read the essays before anything else. If the essay wasn't articulate and thought out, the application went into the 'other' pile. If your applications require any writing, spend time on it, it might be more important than you know.

Good luck!

applesRN · Jan 8, 2011

Smkiya,

That's exactly what I was going to do. Actually, I thought I would be dual-enrolled and take undergrad and grad courses at the same time until I finished my RN to BSN in May 11, but financial aid got tricky and I had to drop out of the grad level course and finish my BSN last month. I am trying to refrain from enrolling in more courses, as I could be doing a lot of other things with my time until the fall (read up on patho, revisit other distantly remembered subjects, go on a medical missions trip to Jamaica, work extra). But, honestly, I love online learning and the school I was in, and if they had a NP program I'd stay here. I dislike DBs in class, though. Rewriting the same thing everyone else has already said is redundant.

Stcroix- thanks for the tip!

PsychiatricNP · Jan 8, 2011

I would suggest applying now - there is nothing to be lost in applying now. I applied to my NP program in January and didn't graduate from my BSN program (I was not an ADN nurse prior) until the following May. I started my NP program a week after graduating from my BSN program. Best of luck.

smkiya, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2011

Thanks for sharing some very good advice!

smkiya, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2011

Are there any other suggestions or experiences someone would like to share?

bzjen · Apr 11, 2011

Stcroix-I know this is an old thread, but I recently decided to apply to the frontier ADN-MSN bridge program, but I'm stressing about getting everything in on time. With experience in reading the essays, what pointers would you recommend? Thanks so so much!