Many interviews for school but continue to get rejected..is it age??? Please help!

Nursing Students SRNA

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I have many interviews with only one acceptance Into one school in Florida. My first school of choice would be USC Columbia in SC. I applied last year and got an interview, but I didn't make the cut ( if you will).

During the interview day at this school, it was an all-day event. Everyone is scheduled for 2 - 30-minute interviews with 2 different groups of individuals. The first room that I went in started off with just general questions about why you want to pursue anesthesia. So blah blah blah- I answered. I was asked why type of unit I work in and an example of a patient population that we could care of as well. I started talking about heart failure patients and the disease and what we use the treat these types of patients. THEN one of the CRNAs started in on me asking me about my grades and how long I had been out of school and how could I really guarantee him that I wouldn't be an academic causality. They basically said that hey wanted nurses who have only been out of school for a few years- sos, so much for my 15 years of experience! Should it not count for something? How do u go back in for an interview if I get one again this year and make it known that THIS IS what I want to do and I have the desire to do nothing else!

Also- I have OB background and got the question thrown at me why not midwifery?? Please help!

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I'm not entirely sure what you're asking, or why you assume it's your age that's keeping you from getting more acceptance letters. Admissions committees see your CV and transcripts when you apply, so they can already reasonably estimate how old you are, how long you've been practicing, and how long you've been out of school. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to invite you for an interview only to turn around and deny you admission based on age when they knew that from the beginning. After you get those rejection/waitlist letters, have you asked them directly what you can do to be a stronger candidate? Most program faculty will offer helpful feedback in that regard. IMO the questions you've said they asked you are fair. Despite having a lot of bedside experience, they're looking for you to "sell" yourself on how you're prepared for NA school, just as nurses with only one year of experience would have to convince them that they're ready. You've been out of school for a while, so you need to persuade them that you're ready to be in a demanding graduate program. As far as having a lot of OB experience, it's fair for them to ask why you didn't take the midwifery path--they're basically asking you "why anesthesia." Explain how your OB experience can make you a stronger NA student and CRNA. I suspect the issue might be more with how you're answering interview questions rather than your age.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

You said that you got accepted into a school in Florida. Why didn't you go there? Why did you bother to apply there if you were not willing to go there? Perhaps you are the one being too picky.

All the questions that you mention in your original post sound reasonable to me. They can't afford to invest a spot in their program on someone who is not fully prepared to succeed. It's not that they don't respect experience. A lot in education has changed since you were last in school and they need to be assured that you are prepared for student life/expectations as they are today and will be tomorrow.

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Thanks for the feedback. I bet you are probably right. I definitely could have answered the questions a little bit better. When I have called back after an interview to find out my areas of opportunities, I was told that I needed practie answering the interview style questions. But one individual also told me that their school is looking for individuals that have been out of school for about 2-3 years and then you are ready to come back to school for anesthesia. I cant do anything to change the fact that I waited and have not gone back to CRNA school until now. I just need to sell myself and why my extra years of experience would make be a great addition to the school and in the OR.

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I got accepted into the school in Florida and I will attend that school if I do not in get into USC this time around. I really enjoyed visiting the school in florida and it is a great school, it is just going to be a lot harder on me and my family --since USC is only 2 hours from our house as opposed to 9 hours.

Thanks for being honest in your reply. I just do not know what I can say or do to make the interviewers see that I am serious about this. I have a lot to lose if things for some reason to do pan out. I have a family that is depending on me. I am quitting a job that makes decent money to not get paid for the next 3 years, with a husband who is self employed. I know that it has been a while since I have been in school fulltime, but since I have been a bedside nurse for 15 years I have gone back to school (while working FT) and obtained my BSN AND had 2 babies while getting that BSN. And i still maintained a 3.6 GPA. I have also taken a graduate level course in pathophysiology that I did make a B in (but at least it was one point from an A). I have obtained my CCRN certification and maintained my OB certification. As well as PALS, ACLS, BLS, NRP. I have thought of nothing else for the last 3 years and even though I have gotten turn down twice by them I am NOT going to let that stop me!

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were you by chance accepted to USF?!

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I think it is definitely how you sell yourself in the interview! I was in the exact opposite position where they were asking in the interview why would they pick someone having less experience over another applicant who has had at least 10 years of ICU experience. I think you need to show how much you want the spot and that you are confident that you can do it. Good luck with applying to USC this year! You got this!

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