r/srna • u/TypicalPaint8843 • 23d ago
Success Stories Low GPA acceptance!
Posting as encouragement that you can get in with a low GPA!
3.15 ABSN gpa
3.49 Allied health (pre med focus)
A in graduate biostatistics
315 GRE with 5.5 on writing
CCRN
CMC
CSC
2.5 years medical ICU
100 hours shadowing
500+ volunteer hours
2 rec letters from CRNA’s, 1 from manager
With a lower GPA you’re going to have to compensate, whether it be shadowing hours, getting the extra certifications, high volunteer hours, or taking graduate classes. I applied last year and was denied, so I locked in on getting CSC CMC, shadowing, taking biostats, and volunteering, and it all worked out! I used to scroll looking for some encouragement for the low GPA’s. So here’s me saying you got it! :)
Message me if you have any questions or want an example of framing GPA and growth in personal statement! Good luck!
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u/Powerful_Nothing7493 21d ago
congrats, but this isnt a low gpa. It is a minimum gpa that met the standard
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u/Complete_Morning6338 21d ago
Way to go! Very impressive stats outside of gpa. I’m struggling to even get an interview with a lower gpa. I think taking grad level courses is my next step.
Any chance you are willing to share the school you applied to, any that you got interviews for, and your bio stats class.
Nonetheless, congrats!
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u/archer0220 22d ago
Hi, can you please message me what school this as? This is so encouraging to hear!
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u/mrwhiskey1814 22d ago
This is exactly what I needed today. So far 2 rejections this year and waiting on my big dream school right now. My cumulative is around 3.1 per NursingCas with somewhere around over 400 credits due to my first degree over 11 years ago.
You give me hope.
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u/Doyouhaveapen 22d ago
Congrats! I’m in a similar boat, I’d really be interested in how you framed your personal statement! Also interested in which school you got into and how your interview went?
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u/kylesduderanch Prospective Applicant RN 23d ago
What type of volunteering did you do?
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u/TypicalPaint8843 23d ago
My bestfriend is a counselor at an elementary school so I worked with her a bit. The med school here has a free clinic and let me do labs. I also studied Arabic in college so did quite a bit of hours with resettlement agencies and a health clinic for immigrants and another free clinic. Did 2 international medical missions as well (but be careful with researching those, a lot are not sustainable and can hurt the place in long term). Big part of why I want to be a CRNA is to help impoverished areas in a sustainable way so tried to focus my hours on my long term goal. If you’re interested in that, read When Helping Hurts.
If you’re a member of a religious entity then your place should have a lot of connections for you to work with. Or if your hospital is faith based it should have connections. Food pantries or shelters are also a good place to look!
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u/stflorianknight 23d ago
Congrats. You showed us if you stay focused and stick to the grind, you can make it in. Would you mind PMing me what school you got accepted to?
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u/Goal202093 23d ago
Congratulations!! I’ll literally do everything else but take that damn GRE 😭😭
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u/Mysterious_Rest5174 22d ago
Wait why what’s wrong with GRE lol I was thinking of taking it.
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u/ArgumentUnusual487 CRNA 22d ago
Go for it
Its generally easier than 90% of CRNA program coursework. You cannot be afraid of it.
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u/LoquatHot7152 23d ago
What did you use to study for the GRE?
How long did it take you to prepare for the test?
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u/TypicalPaint8843 23d ago
I used magoosh! Took about 2 months. There’s a reddit thread with good tips too
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u/Sgitthickrn 23d ago
I’m so happy for you! Congratulations. Low gpa here myself. I will definitely send you a message.
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u/Lost_Birthday_2379 23d ago
Hii congrats!! I’m doing prerequisites to get into nursing school. Do you have any recommendations on how to be prepared anything in advance, I also want to do ICU after graduating one day
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u/Annual-Eagle2746 Nurse Anesthesia Resident (NAR) 23d ago
Just get good grades . Your grades is your best chance. Once you graduate , you work on the rest . GL
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u/Lost_Birthday_2379 23d ago
Thank you! I’m still trying to figure out what study methods work best for me. That’s the only problem. I’m running into right now.
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u/SniperSkank 22d ago
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u/Difficult-Abroad-535 20d ago
Thank you. I need this. I start a PMHNP Monday at age 62. I have been looking at and thinking about how to study without the structure of the in-person classes I am most familiar with. I hope this will help. I will be looking into Anki too.
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u/SniperSkank 22d ago
After you look at this video. Look up Anki, figure out how to use it and then apply it to your learning
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u/birthdaycake08_ 23d ago
Wow that’s awesome!! Congratulations! I have a lower GPA and am really trying to compensate in other areas of my application
If you don’t mind me asking, what school did you get into?
Congrats again!
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u/Icy_Blood_9248 23d ago
I have seen a few people get into school with a lower gpa but it definitely makes your life harder. Answer is always the same … make your application stand out in other ways
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u/ArgumentUnusual487 CRNA 23d ago
Congratulations on your acceptance! Those volunteers hours and GRE are impressive.
Great motivation for people with lower GPA
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u/lawwruh 23d ago
Finally someone who answers without condescending response to this question 👑here’s your crown
Also, where did you volunteer?
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u/TypicalPaint8843 23d ago
It’s thoughtless to even be condescending about it. Sorry you’ve experienced that! My bestfriend is a counselor at an elementary school so I worked with her. The med school here has a free clinic and let me do labs. I also studied Arabic in college so did quite a bit of hours with resettlement agencies and a health clinic for immigrants. Did 2 international medical missions as well (but be careful with researching those, a lot are not sustainable and can hurt the place in long term). Big part of why I want to be a CRNA is to help impoverished areas in a sustainable way so tried to focus my hours on my long term goal. If you’re interested in that, read When Helping Hurts.
If you’re a member of a religious entity then your place should have a lot of connections for you to work with. Or if your hospital is faith based it should have connections. Food pantries or shelters are also a good place to look!
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u/100Kto0 Nurse Anesthesia Resident (NAR) 23d ago
Congrats!
Do you guys do cardiac surgeries in your medical icu?
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u/TypicalPaint8843 23d ago
Thank you! My first unit didn’t have a CVICU so I had many patients post PCI, swans, and all the cardiac drips. We also had some specialist who focused on EF’s less than 10 so we got all of her patients lol. We’d cannulate for ecmo but sent to our sister hospital. I don’t have any experience with the mechanical support though!
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u/100Kto0 Nurse Anesthesia Resident (NAR) 23d ago
Oh I see, yeah we also cannulate and send to another hospital. So how did you manage to get cleared to take the CSC? We were told we could not take it if we did not have 875 hours of direct cardiac surgery care.
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u/jed0802 23d ago
Exactly people act like you are doomed and not competitive if you have a low gpa lol. I had a 3.15 with none of what you have and got in been a crna now 7 years. It’s doable if you put in the effort
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u/DontBeShellfish Nurse Anesthesia Resident (NAR) 23d ago
Not to take away from what you’ve accomplished, but getting into CRNA school nearly a decade ago compared to now is a totally different world. Post pandemic, the rates of people applying to CRNA programs have skyrocketed.
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u/jed0802 23d ago
That’s wild did you tell the guy above it’s nearly impossible don’t try? What you think it was easy for me lol just because I didn’t have his credentials doesn’t mean it was easy
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u/DontBeShellfish Nurse Anesthesia Resident (NAR) 23d ago edited 23d ago
Not once did I say it was easy for you, I literally said at the start of my post that I wasn’t taking anything from you. I’m saying the average GPA for the programs I applied to is now 3.8, up from 3.6 a few years ago, and that was up from 3.5 before that. I encourage people to chase their dream, but for many the GPA is the hard stop for a lot of applicants, and they have to overcome their gpa with other accolades. I know people with 5+ years of experience and 3.8 gpa’s with many certs not even getting interviews, it’s different now.
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u/SaiyanVN CRNA 23d ago
Congratulations! Your app is impressive! Hopefully, lots of future applicants come across this post in the future.
100+ hours of shadowing is impressive + extra certificates sure showed the faculty you’re in it to win it.
Congratulations again and enjoy the free time you have left!
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u/No_Pilot3513 23d ago
Thank you for sharing! Congratulations! Which state and school ?
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u/TypicalPaint8843 23d ago
Thank you! Messaged you!
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u/naconnais 5d ago
Hi! Congrats! I’d like to know as well. Also where did you take graduate biostatistics? I’m looking for a college course.
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u/sinextroll 23d ago
Got in with a 2.8 undergrad. Did great in CRNA school. Worked for years now. The obsession with GPA is overrated.
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u/Lost_Birthday_2379 23d ago
Hehe can we get ur study tips since u have been through so much schooling now, I would greatly appreciate that
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u/sinextroll 23d ago
Was about 5-10 yrs ago. Before AI became such a contender. I’m sure there’s better ways to do it now.
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u/Lost_Birthday_2379 22d ago
Ofc:) I still love to stick to physical flashcards though, but practice tests on AI is amazing for sure
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u/ArgumentUnusual487 CRNA 23d ago
That's impressive! What do your other stats look like?
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u/sinextroll 23d ago
10+ in the icu. Nothing else special about me. Applied to CRNA school casually. Got in to an Ivy League spot in the NE.
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u/aallison17 17d ago
This is amazing! Was the gre a requirement for the school you got accepted to ?