I’ve got a confession to make. I made a ton of mistakes when I applied to CRNA school the first time. Which I contribute to me not getting accepted into a CRNA program sooner.
But luckily I corrected those mistakes and I’m a CRNA today. So I know you can dramatically increase your chances of gaining acceptance by not repeating these same mistakes.
Biggest CRNA School Application Mistakes
Let’s look at 3 big but easy to correct mistakes that could be sabotaging your chances of CRNA school acceptance.
Not Doing Homework
Now it won’t matter if you have the best CRNA school application if you don’t do your homework ahead of time. That’s right. Your research should include things like the schools mission, requirements and interview style to name a few.
The best overall resource will always be the CRNA school itself. Whether that be the actual schools’ website or reaching out to the program director. Another resource is the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs, which contains up-to-date information about every accredited nurse anesthesia program in the country.
The purpose of doing your homework is to gather as much information as possible on the CRNA school. So you have the knowledge to pick the best CRNA school to apply to and also know exactly what’s needed to get accepted to that school.
Typos and Grammatical Errors
There are so many moving parts to the CRNA school application like the CV and personal statement. These are so important because they are often seen first by the admissions committee.
I recently asked Greg Bozimowski, DNP, CRNA, Program Director at the University of Detroit Mercy, what typically costs applicants an invite to interview at a CRNA school, and here’s his response. “The worst thing is terrible grammar and typos. Getting someone to preview and edit is always best. When a CV doesn’t clearly show the student’s path chronologically that’s a problem as well.”
I know it’s easy to put off writing your CV, but when you need it, you need it right then. So my advice is to always keep your CV up to date and revise it often. So when the time to apply to CRNA school you are not rushing by putting together a CV at the last minute. This way your CV is structured well and free of any typos and grammatical errors.
Submitting Application Right at Deadline
Getting your CRNA school application in right before the deadline is the worst mistake you could make. For one the admissions committee could look at it like you are not serious or organized. Also, many CRNA programs give priority to early applicants as the pool of applicants is smaller. Therefore, your chances of being invited increase automatically and this is what you want.
So, the best way to stay on top of your application is by of course starting early and being organized. A huge problem that I run into is trying to keep all my tasks in my head which is ineffective. This is why most successful people use either a paper calendar or some type of calendar tool. I prefer to use Google Calendar since it’s free and you can set daily reminders to get stuff done. This way you get your application in well ahead of the CRNA schools’ deadline.
Bottom Line
To get your CRNA school application submitted with ease and a shot at an interview, you need to be diligent and do your homework on the CRNA school. And before hitting that send button proofread, proofread and proofread everything. And last but not least is to get your applications in way ahead of the deadline so you increase your chances and also have peace of mind knowing you got it done.
P.S. Need a little help? For a complete guide that shows you exactly how to be a CRNA, grab a copy of the “Ultimate Guide to CRNA School Admission”. It’s FREE and will a ton of time and headaches since all the info you need is in one place.
