Taking Graduate Level Classes? and Chem Question

[missbutton]

Hello everyone,

I am such the lurker, and have been lurking on these boards for about 6 months. I am a BSN student and I will be entering my senior year of nursing school in the fall. I have learned so much from everybody who posts here. But I have, what is probably, a silly question.

There is a lot of advice about improving your application through taking graduate level science classes. But how do you do that? Don't you have to be accepted to a school's graduate program before enrolling in graduate level classes?

Also, I think that I will be a competitive candidate for CRNA school (when I am ready). My overall gpa is a 3.5. But I have two C's on my academic record; Chemistry and Statistics. I took these classes when I was 17 and my letter grade from that time does not represent my ability or who I am now. I would absolutely retake them while I am still an undergrad to improve my standing; however, here is the strange thing about my nursing program: both the Chemistry and the Statistics that they required were the classes for non-science majors. Having done some preliminary research, I don't think that either of these classes meet grad school requirements. So, do you think I should retake these silly 'science light' classes, or not even bother because I will have to take some real science classes later, anyways?

Thank you so much for your imput.

[jls189]

You can take grad classes at most schools by applying as a "non-degree seeking" student. That is what I did. Your 3.5 GPA is good, but it never hurts to do things that can make you stick out from the rest of the applicants. I would talk to the schools that you are interested in. The application process to CRNA school is a package....GPA, GRE, interview, etc. I've known people with a low gre score and average gpa that got accepted, and I know a couple people who have GPA's of > 3.5 in BSN and >3.6 in grad school w/ great GRE scores and they still didn't get accepted. Depends on the school. I think the interview is a big thing. Hope this info. helps.

Hello everyone,

I am such the lurker, and have been lurking on these boards for about 6 months. I am a BSN student and I will be entering my senior year of nursing school in the fall. I have learned so much from everybody who posts here. But I have, what is probably, a silly question.

There is a lot of advice about improving your application through taking graduate level science classes. But how do you do that? Don't you have to be accepted to a school's graduate program before enrolling in graduate level classes?

Also, I think that I will be a competitive candidate for CRNA school (when I am ready). My overall gpa is a 3.5. But I have two C's on my academic record; Chemistry and Statistics. I took these classes when I was 17 and my letter grade from that time does not represent my ability or who I am now. I would absolutely retake them while I am still an undergrad to improve my standing; however, here is the strange thing about my nursing program: both the Chemistry and the Statistics that they required were the classes for non-science majors. Having done some preliminary research, I don't think that either of these classes meet grad school requirements. So, do you think I should retake these silly 'science light' classes, or not even bother because I will have to take some real science classes later, anyways?

Thank you so much for your imput.