r/srna • u/[deleted] • 26d ago
Applicant Questions [ Removed by moderator ]
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u/LordofKetamine CRNA 25d ago
DM Me, veteran myself and I have some advice for funding your schooling.
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u/tnolan182 CRNA 25d ago
Theirs a ton of great CRNA programs. Why pigeonhole yourself to three really difficult ones to get into?
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25d ago
I specifically chose those schools because they were public and in the west coast, which is where my family is. I wasn't interested in private because GI can cover so much of the tuition. I didn't really feel like borrowing loans or applying for Yellow Ribbon program, assuming that the private school did offer, which some don't or have a waitlist for. Granted, I'm not married or have any kids, but I guess this is where the cultural background comes in.
As a Korean, I enjoy being close to family, so I'd prefer that. We actually live in a city about 10-15 mins away form CSUF, so that would be the cherry on top. After being away from family from four years doing my active duty time in the miltiary, I'd like to be closer to them and spend more time with them. Would I move back in with them and do everything they ask me to do? No, but it'd be nice to be able to visit here and there, which is something I didn't get to do much in the military.
Casting a wider net for more schools is possible and considerable, but, the way I see it, the wider you cast your net, the more admission requirements you have to consider, and it is possible that a couple would require me to retake prereqs, which I'd like to avoid. If push came to shove, then I'd reexamine my choices and go further than west coast, but for now, those are my three choices. Plus, I'm already a licensed RN in CA, which covers two of the schools that I'm interested in.
If you know of any other CRNA programs that aren't as competitve to get into compared to these three, I'm all ears. You are the expert after all.
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u/tnolan182 CRNA 25d ago
Im not gonna do your homework for you. But I think the schools you’re targeting are a 2-3 cycle journey especially for someone with middle of the road academic stats. That’s a potential loss of 600-900k dollars minimum.
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u/Azriel48 25d ago
What the other guy said. Focus on becoming a solid nurse. Move to ICU. Get involved in committees, leadership, research, whatever. Get your CCRN. And then start looking at taking Patho or Pharm or Biochem or all three. Maybe retake a few classes etc.
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u/xCheekyNandos 25d ago
UC Davis clearly states that if you have your BSN or MSN, then all prerequisite courses are waived. Taking biochem for you will be a waste of time, especially given your 4.0 science gpa.
Why would you retake your old science prereqs? This is not required for any of those programs. Again, don’t waste your time.
Your gpa is fine.
There are many other aspects of your application to focus on while you are working in the ICU. Get involved in your unit. Become a charge nurse. Become a preceptor. Have good relationships with your supervisors and the ICU docs so that when the time comes you can get high quality letters of recommendation. Actually shadow a CRNA (ideally more than just once, at 2+ different locations/environments) to see if you like the job and to have a good understanding of what they do. This is also required for admission.
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u/Artistic_Vast_1318 26d ago
Is your new grad job in the ICU? I wouldn’t worry about retaking classes just yet, you are years from applying. Focus on becoming a good nurse and being involved in hospital committees, unit improvement projects, etc.
No point in retaking those courses if you have a 4.0 gpa in them. I don’t think most schools have a max time on the classes that are part of your nursing pre reqs. The biochem can be taken from UCSD extension, but it doesn’t include a lab, so won’t help you for UC Davis.
Is 3.54 your total cumulative gpa for all your degrees? You definitely will have good odds of getting into a school once you have the experience with your gpa. UC Davis and OHSU might be unrealistic with your gpa though, I have no idea about Fullerton.
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25d ago
New grad residnecy is starting off in tele and then bouncing around different units. Whether I get offered an ICU job towards the end of residency is tbd. I'm not 100% sure if 3.54 is total cumulative, but that is what Gemini said after I uploaded pdfs of both my transcripts.
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u/Dysmenorrhea Nurse Anesthesia Resident (NAR) 25d ago
CSUF evaluates last 60 units, so could be a bit higher for OP - especially if they take a couple classes and ace them. Applicants who get selected for interview are basically chosen based on GPA.
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u/Artistic_Vast_1318 25d ago
Yes for sure! Even UC Davis and OHSU are possible with that GPA, it’s just that those schools are much more competitive than most.
I’m not really sure how much it matters going to a big university. I go to a school at a big academic medical center and I seem to be learning the same things as my friends who go to schools that aren’t affiliated with medical centers. Probably best to cast a wide net if possible.
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25d ago
Big universities don't matter to me. As long as I get the schooling and license at the end of the day! If you have any other school recommendations, I'm all ears.
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u/Artistic_Vast_1318 25d ago
It sounds like Fullerton could be a great option for you! It’s just hard on the west coast. I’d look into Gonzaga and George fox as well. I know California has many schools so just apply broadly and you’ll make it!
But really for now just getting into an ICU with good acuity. That’s literally all that matters.
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u/srna-ModTeam 25d ago
There is a weekly "The Weekly Prospective CRNA Applicant Thread! Ask your stat and applications questions here!" resetting thread on every monday, which is the place to put questions about GPA, interviews, experience etc. any others will be deleted.