<p>Hey all, I'm currently a freshmen nursing student at UConn and I'm planning on going to grad school after I get my BSN, pass my NCLEX and work for 1 year. Of course, this is all assuming that everything goes according to plan. But one thing I want to know is, what should I do to make myself a competitive applicant? Also, what should my GPA be? This may be a little too early to ask, but I do want to start early. Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>my two cents…I would suggest calling a particular college and speaking with Masters program admissions staff. UMASS Dartmouth’s staff answered a lot of questions for me. You only have one year. I would think gpa, passing the nclex on first try, joining nursing organizations, letter of recommendation from employers and past instructors, don’t default or run late on any loans, become part of your colleges alumni and volunteer.</p>
<p>Obviously the higher the GPA the better. While you might get accepted into some programs with a GPA below 3.0 I would recommend at least this GPA level. For your top ranked Nursing Grad Programs a 3.5 or above would probably be needed. At at least some Programs if you have a high enough GPA (varies by Program) you do not need to take the GRE (if otherwise required by the Program). Competition at the top ranked Nursing Grad Programs is actually becoming more competitive than undergrad admission. At the two MSN FNP Programs our D was accepted into (Penn and Univ. of Miami) the acceptance rate was below 10%. So again obviously the higher the GPA the better, especially if you are interested in Programs at this level. While I suspect some on this board might disagree with me I also am of the perspective that where a nurse works following obtaining their BSN can potentially have some bearing on their competitiveness for Grad admission. At least at some Programs, for example, working in a Nursing Home might not be looked upon as favorably as working at an Academic Medical Center in an ICU. Involvement in Nursing Research and taking Nursing Honors Program courses as an undergrad probably would also increase one’s competitiveness for admission. Hope this info is helpful. Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>Get the best grades you can. </p>
<p>Get as much good experience as you can before and after you graduate (some larger hospitals will have externship opportunities for students after their junior year–apply for those). </p>
<p>Keep an open mind. I’d be willing to bet that 3/4 of your cohort will claim to want to pursue becoming a nurse practitioner (hey, it’s that way every year at my institution). It’s a big field with many opportunities beyond that very narrow specialty. </p>
<p>Take a full year of chemistry if you’re thinking about going on. Many schools around here have had to cut back to one semester as the nursing requirements grow.</p>