UCSF MEPN 2016

SBCvixen · Jul 6, 2015

I think stats from last year's accepted pool would be really helpful (though also a little intimidating).

Do you know if it is common to apply a few times before getting in?

Columnist · Jul 7, 2015

Your thread has been moved to the Nursing Schools and Colleges forum where the other school specific discussions are. We hope you will receive additional responses in this new location.

emara9 · Jul 7, 2015

So glad this thread has been started! Been getting all of my stuff done for the past few years in order to apply to the PMHNP program at UCSF. Getting super nervous... would like to know some more stats on people who have been accepted, especially ages. Anyone know anything about this? I'm only going to be 24 and I'm worried that will make me look undesirable/not serious. But, on the other hand, I have quite a bit of mental health/hospital experience and will be getting one of my letters of rec from a Psychiatrist so hoping that helps a bit. Thanks for starting the thread!

fpjc · Jul 8, 2015

@FutureNP2019 - I think getting shadowing experience after you turn in the app is ok, since I was able to get through to the interview round without any direct experience with NPs.

@SBCvixen - I've looked through pretty much all the threads from past years and talked to a bunch of people and there are lots of cases where people made it through to interviews after their second or third time applying. However, I was wondering if anyone had made it to interviews more than once and still not been accepted and I haven't heard of it. It might just be that people decide to go to other schools, though. I think most of the people who interviewed with me and didn't get in decided to go to Columbia, Yale, etc. It was pretty impressive.

So, as far as stats - not to sound generic, but there's a fairly large range. It's like what anyone would tell you; if you are weaker in one area, you need to be stronger in another. But to summarize:

GPA - from 3.2 and up (mostly 3.5+)

Pre Req GPA - from 3.7 and up

GREs - from about 65% and up, writing 4+ (mostly 5s though)

For experience, most people had some pretty solid experience. Some examples: Peace Corp (several people actually), work experience at a clinic, other work in health or job related to chosen specialty, work experience with non-profit, and military.

Again, these are just people that I've talked to and it by no means represents the spectrum of people who get accepted.

SBCvixen · Jul 8, 2015

Thanks @fpjc!

milkbun · Jul 10, 2015

@fpjc

to verify, by "gpa" you mean cumulative undergrad gpa right?

thanks for the info too!

fpjc · Jul 13, 2015

@milkbun - yes, cumulative

emara9 · Jul 13, 2015

Does anyone know if you can apply to two separate specialties (like FNP and PMHNP) with the same application? Or do we have to apply separately if we want to try for both? For example, for my undergrad application at UT Austin I got to select a first choice major and a second choice major and I got into my second choice but not my first. Is there something similar to this on the app? Thanks!

SBCvixen · Jul 13, 2015

It's open!!!

SBCvixen · Jul 13, 2015

It looks like you can only select one specialty area.

emmafleur18 · Jul 14, 2015

I'm so glad this was started!! I was going to start one, but decided to poke around a little more in case. Good thing I did!

I'm applying to the PNP program, and I'm going to try and do the diabetes minor and fellowship if I get accepted. I've been slowly filling out the application, and I just have the writing parts left (background info, goal statement, personal history). I really want to get a solid goal statement, and I'm a little nervous about it.

How old is everybody here, and how much experience do you all have? I'm fresh out of undergrad (at University of Oregon) so I'm not expecting to get in on the first try, but I have had a job in the healthcare field for the past 3 years which helps!

emara9 · Jul 14, 2015

Glad someone else who's younger is applying! I really have no idea what the stats are as far as ages, most might actually be around my age, but I assumed most applying would be late 20's-30's+ and I'm only 23 so I didn't want to have a disadvantage due to that or not be taken seriously. I graduated at 21 so I'm not quite fresh out of college, but I've basically been taking pre-reqs since then so I kind of never left :)

Just to share some of my experience, I'm applying to PMHNP and in my last year of college/since I graduated college I have worked in an anxiety lab collecting research, did in-home therapy with autistic children, worked at a Neuropsychology clinic doing diagnostic testing/helping write diagnostic reports, worked at a psychiatric hospital as a tech, did some PRN work as a FNP assistant for two NP's, and now I'm working at a fairly well-known rehab hospital as a tech and learning tons about nursing. I would say my one downfall is my GRE, which was hovering around average (a little less on quantitative) except for writing which I got a 5. Basically, to make up for any academic things I was worried about I packed in the experience in mental health and now in nursing through the hospitals.

I'm actually still in one of my pre-reqs, finishing next week (Physiology...ugh) so I haven't looked at the app or started yet. That'll come immediately after this class is over and I'm super anxious and excited to get started! Does anyone know if it matters when you turn in the application? There's nothing similar to rolling admissions, right? The only thing I've (sort of) gotten in order is my letters of rec, which I have asked/given heads up to all except for one. Other than that, I'm basically a deer in the headlights about this whole applying thing and I'm hoping it becomes more clear once I get started!