University of Pittsburgh CRNA Spring 2023

[Living2Learn]

Sorta surprised that there is no post for this current application for Pitt, especially since the application deadline is a month away. Decided to make this thread for people looking to discuss the application process. 

Anyone applying to Pitt? I made a last minute decision to apply just a few days ago, so I'm trying to get all of my things in order to submit on time, haha. 

[Maciso, BSN, RN]

On 8/3/2022 at 6:46 PM, Maciso said:

Okay my email was not exactly the same.  Mine has the provisional graduate student clause in it.

Congratulations! I am pleased to inform you that your application to the DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) Nurse Anesthesia Major has received favorable action. You may begin your studies on a part-time basis with provisional graduate status, changing to full-time in the Spring Term, 2023.

my provision is 12 credit hours. The way it’s worded I would have to take a full 12 hours this fall in order to be full time next Spring.  At least that is my interpretation.

guess I’ll be calling tomorrow to find out the details

I just don’t think I have the time to stop everything I’m doing to take a full load right this moment.  Might have been easier if this was conveyed sooner.

Got a call today about this!  It’s full time status with one provision of a statistics course! 

the only other thing they told is that during my first twelves credits I have to keep a 3.0 which is something they require all of their anesthesia students anyways. 
 

Weighing my options but excited non the less!

[Maciso, BSN, RN]

I've decided to accept admission to PITT! Looking forward to meeting all of you this Spring. Is there a facebook group started already?

[Living2Learn, BSN, RN]

7 hours ago, Maciso said:

I've decided to accept admission to PITT! Looking forward to meeting all of you this Spring. Is there a facebook group started already?

Congrats and glad that you accepted!
 

Yes there was! “Pitt CRNA DNP Cohort 2023-2026”

[travel_icu_nurse156]

Out of curiosity, is there anyone considering declining their acceptance offer? And if so, why? I have a friend on the fence. 

[JL2019RN, BSN, RN]

I turned down my part time spot yesterday! Good luck guys!

[Living2Learn, BSN, RN]

16 minutes ago, JL2019RN said:

I turned down my part time spot yesterday! Good luck guys!

Did you get an offer elsewhere? 

[JL2019RN, BSN, RN]

Just now, Living2Learn said:

Did you get an offer elsewhere? 

Yes! Going to Baylor in Houston which is close to home for me!

[Living2Learn, BSN, RN]

26 minutes ago, JL2019RN said:

Yes! Going to Baylor in Houston which is close to home for me!

Very awesome - congrats!

[JL2019RN, BSN, RN]

5 minutes ago, Living2Learn said:

Very awesome - congrats!

Thank you so much!! You as well!!

[IvyMed, BSN, RN]

Living2Learn said:

Congrats! I bet that's an amazing feeling for you. They must've had so many good applicants that they needed an extra round of interviews. ? I read somewhere that they interview 80 & accept 40, but I don't know how accurate that is haha. 

I do know they use a proprietary point system to rank applicants with the interview being the final piece and it has a numerical point value depending on performance. 

Do you happen to know more about the point system? I will be applying May of 2023  with only 1.5 years of experience but feel like my stats will be good. cGPA 3.7, sGPA 3.85 from top nursing school. Plan to take CCRN and GRE. What would be a good GRE score to aim for with my low experience. Will they realistically interview me?

how'd you like the diversity CRNA event? I plan to go in May, the week or so after Pitts application is closed. 

[Living2Learn, BSN, RN]

IvyMed said:

Do you happen to know more about the point system? I will be applying May of 2023  with only 1.5 years of experience but feel like my stats will be good. cGPA 3.7, sGPA 3.85 from top nursing school. Plan to take CCRN and GRE. What would be a good GRE score to aim for with my low experience. Will they realistically interview me?

how'd you like the diversity CRNA event? I plan to go in May, the week or so after Pitts application is closed. 

I don't know anything more about the point system as it's not something that's at all published. I just know that the scoring system exists because this is what the director told us all after the interviews. It is how they internally and holistically rank their pool of applicants. I don't know for sure which things are weighted more, but I assume experience and GPA are weighted the most. However, the more things you do to improve your application, the better. Other items they said that they look at and assign points for are: research, graduate courses, leadership/unit involvement, GRE, CCRN & other certs. 
 

Re: GRE, I'm sure you know most schools are moving towards lowering the impact that the score has on admission or eliminating the requirement entirely. That being said, I'd aim to get above the 50th percentile (which will likely be higher than 150 for each section, just look it up on ETS) and you'll be fine. Getting a super high score more than likely won't sky rocket you to the top of their radar, so I'd say do your best, but no need to aim for a 320+ (more on this later).

Re: experience, if you're applying with 1.5 years, it should be a very strong 1.5 years of experience. Level one trauma, in a specialty ICU or a very acute MICU, in a big academic center or well respected regional hospital. If your experience isn't this strong, it may hurt you more than an applicant from a more acute facility or one with more experience. 
 

For a glimmer of hope, I applied with a substantially lower GPA than you and just one more year of experience. What I did was try to pad my profile as much as possible: I included my research (from undergrad), international volunteer experience, graduate courses, extra certs, etc. I also retook my GRE and got a much higher score, but by the time they actually got my new score I was already accepted so I think it was a waste. 

I hope this was helpful! If you want more information or insight, feel free to PM me!

[IvyMed, BSN, RN]

Living2Learn said:

I don't know anything more about the point system as it's not something that's at all published. I just know that the scoring system exists because this is what the director told us all after the interviews. It is how they internally and holistically rank their pool of applicants. I don't know for sure which things are weighted more, but I assume experience and GPA are weighted the most. However, the more things you do to improve your application, the better. Other items they said that they look at and assign points for are: research, graduate courses, leadership/unit involvement, GRE, CCRN & other certs. 
 

Re: GRE, I'm sure you know most schools are moving towards lowering the impact that the score has on admission or eliminating the requirement entirely. That being said, I'd aim to get above the 50th percentile (which will likely be higher than 150 for each section, just look it up on ETS) and you'll be fine. Getting a super high score more than likely won't sky rocket you to the top of their radar, so I'd say do your best, but no need to aim for a 320+ (more on this later).

Re: experience, if you're applying with 1.5 years, it should be a very strong 1.5 years of experience. Level one trauma, in a specialty ICU or a very acute MICU, in a big academic center or well respected regional hospital. If your experience isn't this strong, it may hurt you more than an applicant from a more acute facility or one with more experience. 
 

For a glimmer of hope, I applied with a substantially lower GPA than you and just one more year of experience. What I did was try to pad my profile as much as possible: I included my research (from undergrad), international volunteer experience, graduate courses, extra certs, etc. I also retook my GRE and got a much higher score, but by the time they actually got my new score I was already accepted so I think it was a waste. 

I hope this was helpful! If you want more information or insight, feel free to PM me!

Thanks for the information. I took a couple grad classes in undergrad and was a research assistant (unpublished). Currently at a level 1 trauma center. We do balloon pumps and tvps all the time and proning and TTM here and there. Intubated pts on multiple pressors are regulars for us. 
I would love to be able to message you but new to allnurses and won't be able to. But I am on Reddit and my handle is the same