There are many steps involved in getting your CRNA school application together. The road to pressing that “submit” button on your application can be quite the journey - people start planning  years in advance to make sure their application is as competitive as possible. There is one thing that you should do at the beginning of your journey, read on to find out!

The first thing that you should do when you are thinking of applying to CRNA school is:

Request your transcripts.

Now, I know that this is not the most exciting thing to do, however it is a key first step.  One of the first things that you are going to do when you are navigating the application process is calculating your GPA. And if you're like most people, it's been a while since you've dusted the cobwebs off your good old trusty resume. And you may or may not remember your GPA. 

Figuring out your GPA in a couple of different ways is going to help you identify how competitive of a CRNA School applicant you are  for different programs. What do I mean by this?  Schools calculate your GPA in a couple of different ways. They can look at: 

• Overall/Cumulative
• Nursing GPA
• Science GPA
• Last 60 credits GPA

If you are one of the many people who went to school for something other than nursing before becoming an RN, and got C’s,  it might be better for you to apply to schools  who look at the Last 60 credits GPA.  If you applied to a program that looked at your cumulative GPA, they are going to see a lower GPA because they will take into account your first degree where you may have gotten those C’s. 

Also,  if you decide to apply to a school who calculates your science GPA you are going to want to know what you got in those science classes all those years ago.  We recommend taking science classes over if you got a B- or below. Competitive applicants are re- taking science classes to get A's, and show the admissions committee that they can remember how to study, as well as excel in advanced science classes.

Have I convinced you to request your unofficial transcripts yet?  It really is one of the first steps that you should take if you're serious about applying to CRNA School. Furthermore, you’'ll need your transcripts to send to CRNA programs if you have any questions about the competitiveness of your application. Request away! 

If you'd like more tips about applying to CRNA School come watch our free masterclass, Getting Into CRNA School 101! We dive deep into understanding what it takes to apply and get in. Maybe that will help you decide if you’re ready to make the leap!