Successful CRNA students consider listing your school, GPA, experience, GRE et.

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In this way a database could eventually be created of the average profile of successful/unsuccessful applicants at various schools. Obviously, this would only be a guideline since the profile of a successful applicant changes to some degree even from class to class. It might also be useful to list schools that did not accept you or ones that you elected not to attend. This could amount to a powerful tool enabling future applicants to direct their efforts to schools where they are the most likely to succeed (an especially important point with CRNA schools since travel expenses are often involved in the application process).

I am down in the dumps today. I have interviewed with two schools and have been turned down by both. Does anyone think that age makes a difference in the selection? My GPA BSN 3.2, Science 3.5, Grad. level 3.7, years of experience 10 years ED, 1+ year PICU, 1+ OSCU, and 1.5 years transplant/neuro ICU. GRE 980. Turned down by UC and TWU. :crying2:

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Tammy,

I'm sorry you are having a difficult time. I do not think age makes a difference...keep trying. Have you considered retaking your GRE? I know UC looks highly on the GRE (unfortunately). Also, you have your CCRN? Just a couple of suggestions!

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Well here are my stats that got me into TCU:

age 49 (yea 49)

2 years med-surg

7.5 years SICU

9 years PACU

ACLS, PALS,

CCRN, CPAN

Science GPA 3.8

overall GPA 3.5 something or 3.6 can't remeber for sure

Miller 54

GRE 1270

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I am down in the dumps today. I have interviewed with two schools and have been turned down by both. Does anyone think that age makes a difference in the selection? My GPA BSN 3.2, Science 3.5, Grad. level 3.7, years of experience 10 years ED, 1+ year PICU, 1+ OSCU, and 1.5 years transplant/neuro ICU. GRE 980. Turned down by UC and TWU. :crying2:

Tammy,

I'm sorry to hear that you weren't selected. I just recently interviewed and am waiting to hear from the selection committee. Do you feel like your interviews went well? Do you plan on applying anywhere else? Other than possibly increasing you GRE score your stats look pretty strong, don't give up.

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GPA: 3.75

GRE: 1150 (verbal 480/math 670/analytical 4)

Experience: 8.5 yrs. strictly ICU (combination Med/Surg/Neuro...lots of CABG recovery a plus!)

Certs: CCRN, PALS, ACLS

Applied only to LSU, accepted, starting Fall 2005! :D

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let me throw in my stats, which pale in comparison, but got me into school!

bsn gpa: 2.865 (3.1 in nursing courses)

graduate classes (11 hours) : 4.0 gpa

gre: 950/3.5

mat: 53

experience: 1.5 years stepdown, 1 year same day surgery, 3 years icu/ccu, and 2 years ccu.

certs: ccrn, acls, pals

interviewed at lsu last year and made alternate list.

re-interviewed at lsu this year with all of the above stats and made it in. starting next month and i'm ready to rock!!!! :rotfl: !!!

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Hi there,

First off, I would like to say "thank you" for the helpful suggestions/postings by everyone. This is such a wonderful and resourceful site, and reading some of the postings have only further encouraged me to pursue a career as an acute care nurse, and eventually as CRNA. So thank you again.

I was a pre-med, biology and literature major as an undergrad, and actually accepted to Columbia U, then decided that maybe being a MD is not for me. I worked as a nursing assistant for 3 years while as an undergrad and have always enjoyed the direct patient care, and have found that aspect of health care the most rewarding. To have a patient's family come up to me and tell me how much they appreciate my work, and just to have a friend nearby, and more...meant more than anything I could ask for...

Instead of going to med school, I decided to do medical research in neurobiology, specfically alzheimer's disease. Now, I'm at the point to finally pursue nursing as a lifelong career. I'm at Columbia, so I'm planning to apply to the Accelerated BSN/MSN here.

Undergrad GPA: 3.61

Grad GPA (MS in Nutrition): 3.89

MCAT:35

GRE: will sit for the first time in Sept

3 yrs+ nursing assisitant experience (2yrs on Neurosurg inpatient unit, 1 yr in ER)

My goal is to be admitted to one of the accelerated program and come out to gain experience in SICU, at least 1 yr, before going for CRNA. I'm 26, and would I be too optimistic to tell myself that by 30 I can finish and graduate from a CRNA school? Sorry for the long post, but I need to be realistic and as a newlywed, I'm also thinking about having kids soon. My motto: do it while young, and when I can still pull all nighters.

Thank you in advance for your suggestions/advice. Thank you.

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Well, you would need to take the GRE rather than the MCAT (however, I think a strong case could be made for using the MCAT with its emphasis on physical and biological sciences for CRNA school admission rather than the GRE. Alas, this is perhaps a subject for a different thread). Furthermore, it is my impression that the average applicant accepted to medical school has a GPA of around 3.5 and an MCAT score of around 30 combined ( I am speaking of rough national averages that I've seen referenced at various locations such as studentdoctor.net et). I would be willing to wager my next ten years of income or a hundred dollars whichever is higher that you would score above 1,200 (and probably much higher) on the GRE based on your MCAT score. This combined with your comparitively rich academic record in the sciences (as compared with the average CRNA applicant) should make you a virtual lock for at least an interview at the CRNA school of your choice after you have a BSN, and the requisite experience in critical care (ceteris paribus and the river don't rise et.). Additionally, unless you interview like me (which is to say unless you leave the interviewer screaming for security to escort the creepy, scary man from the building), it is relatively likely you will be accepted.

Hi there,

First off, I would like to say "thank you" for the helpful suggestions/postings by everyone. This is such a wonderful and resourceful site, and reading some of the postings have only further encouraged me to pursue a career as an acute care nurse, and eventually as CRNA. So thank you again.

I was a pre-med, biology and literature major as an undergrad, and actually accepted to Columbia U, then decided that maybe being a MD is not for me. I worked as a nursing assistant for 3 years while as an undergrad and have always enjoyed the direct patient care, and have found that aspect of health care the most rewarding. To have a patient's family come up to me and tell me how much they appreciate my work, and just to have a friend nearby, and more...meant more than anything I could ask for...

Instead of going to med school, I decided to do medical research in neurobiology, specfically alzheimer's disease. Now, I'm at the point to finally pursue nursing as a lifelong career. I'm at Columbia, so I'm planning to apply to the accelerated BSN/MSN here.

Undergrad GPA: 3.61

Grad GPA (MS in Nutrition): 3.89

MCAT:35

GRE: will sit for the first time in Sept

3 yrs+ nursing assisitant experience (2yrs on Neurosurg inpatient unit, 1 yr in ER)

My goal is to be admitted to one of the accelerated program and come out to gain experience in SICU, at least 1 yr, before going for CRNA. I'm 26, and would I be too optimistic to tell myself that by 30 I can finish and graduate from a CRNA school? Sorry for the long post, but I need to be realistic and as a newlywed, I'm also thinking about having kids soon. My motto: do it while young, and when I can still pull all nighters.

Thank you in advance for your suggestions/advice. Thank you.

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GPA: 3.64

Experience: 16 mths ICU/CCU

GRE: 1210

Applied: Our Lady of the Lake College, Baton Rouge

Accepted first time. Start August 22, 2005.

Applied: Barry University, Miami

Granted an interview first time, but declined it because I was accepted at OLOLC.

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I really don't think your sample from allnurses will represent the average CRNA applicant. I have a hunch that most people who post to this board are quite competitive applicants. I also don't think that some would list their GPA if under 3.5, GRE if under 1000, etc.

On the other hand, it would be VERY helpful if each program could be contacted by the SRNA who attends to learn the mean and range of stats. That would be a very interesting compilation of stats!

LSU's stats are on their website

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Well, you would need to take the GRE rather than the MCAT (however, I think a strong case could be made for using the MCAT with its emphasis on physical and biological sciences for CRNA school admission rather than the GRE. Alas, this is perhaps a subject for a different thread). Furthermore, it is my impression that the average applicant accepted to medical school has a GPA of around 3.5 and an MCAT score of around 30 combined ( I am speaking of rough national averages that I've seen referenced at various locations such as studentdoctor.net et). I would be willing to wager my next ten years of income or a hundred dollars whichever is higher that you would score above 1,200 (and probably much higher) on the GRE based on your MCAT score. This combined with your comparitively rich academic record in the sciences (as compared with the average CRNA applicant) should make you a virtual lock for at least an interview at the CRNA school of your choice after you have a BSN, and the requisite experience in critical care (ceteris paribus and the river don't rise et.). Additionally, unless you interview like me (which is to say unless you leave the interviewer screaming for security to escort the creepy, scary man from the building), it is relatively likely you will be accepted.

Hi Roland,

Thank you for your generous comments, and hopefully all the hard work will pay off eventually. Quick question, what is ACLS, PALS, etc? They've been mentioned in some postings and I was wondering when those are necessary (before applying during CRNA, or before BSN?) Thanks.

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ACLS= Advanced cardiac life support (as opposed to the Basic life support/CPR that you needed for nursing school) and PALS= Pediatric, advanced life support. These classes last from as little as three days to as long as several weeks and cost about $150.00 per class in the unlikely event that your ICU doesn't pay for you to take them. You will also want to sit for the CCRN designation if you have enough ICU clinical hours (you may not if you apply to CRNA school at exactly one year of experience, but in the unlikely event you are not accepted this is something you will want to add before the next try). By the way wouldn't it be neat if someone would start a thread somewhere (say in General Discussion) that covered all of the different abbreviations used on this board?

Hi Roland,

Thank you for your generous comments, and hopefully all the hard work will pay off eventually. Quick question, what is ACLS, PALS, etc? They've been mentioned in some postings and I was wondering when those are necessary (before applying during CRNA, or before BSN?) Thanks.

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