First in my family to go to college... Hoping to become a CRNA

Nursing Students SRNA

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Hello all! I am new to the site and was wondering if there are any prospective or current CRNAs who could offer some advice or just slap me in the face with a reality check if needed!

I am from a small farm town and the first in my fairly large family to graduate from college (including aunts, uncles, cousins, etc..., everyone that I am aware of). I attended a highschool that really was only worried about graduating the majority of its students. I have a BS in biology and graduated from an accelerated BSN program a few months ago. I was recently hired onto a cardiovascular ICU.

To be blunt, I believe I performed poorly during my original degree. I was a horrible student and really did the bare minimum. I graduated with a 3.5 (this includes a few courses I retook to improve them from B's to A's and if I remember correctly, one from a C to an A). The C to an A was physics II which I understand... DO NOT ask me why I retook sociology and psychology. Young, misinformed, and ignorant. I do currently have a C in microbiology that I took several years ago during my original undergrad. I graduated with a 3.5 from nursing school as well; this GPA was affected by my previous degree since several of my courses were applicable to the nursing curriculum.

I believe it is in my best interest to take the GRE as many schools recommend or require it if you have a 3.5 or below.

Does anyone recommend that I retake microbiology? I believe I can pass with an A.

I have read that enrolling and performing well in graduate coursework may be helpful for those whose GPAs are not all that great.

I'm not trying to apply within the next year or two... I really do want to become a competent critical care nurse and be prepared for what a CRNA program demands, but I want to have a plan mapped out for the next 3-5 years. When should I take the GRE? Retake undergraduate coursework? Enroll in graduate coursework? Obtain my CCRN? What organizations should I join and be active in? Has my poor performance as a student in the past wrecked my chances of being accepted into a CRNA program?

After I left my hometown and moved to a big city, so many decisions about life and education has been made by the seat of my pants. This is something I really want and want to earn; not something I think I deserve or anything like that. I just want to know my best course of action considering the hand I have dealt myself!

Throughout most of my education I have had very little guidance and have relied pretty heavily on the internet as a resource for information. So I really do appreciate all advice and criticism!

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A 3.5 is really not that bad. What was your BSN GPA? I had a classmate who had like a 2.5 in her bio degree and then a 3.8 in nursing school. She had a lot of experience (8 years in the ICU) but she got in the first time she applied.

If your schools require microbio I would retake it. However, a good GRE and a few years of solid CVICU experience should be fine. Get your CCRN and maybe CSC and CMC.

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Thank you so much for your reply. And thanks for the information on getting my CSC and CMC. I wasn't aware of those certifications!

My major GPA in nursing is a 3.48 with the C from microbiology... If I could turn that into an A and they averaged the grades then that would put me a little over a 3.5 with my major GPA.

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Hello,

Congrats CLEnurse12! I will be taking my GRE in the near future and was wondering if anyone could share tips/resources used to study?

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Retake any science classes that you didn't do well in. Rest is experience. Schools vary in admission competitiveness, so you'll get in to school with a 3.5 - it just depends on the other people applying

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