how to write a personal statement for crna school

A Twitch of Anesthesia

For future, current, and prospective nurse anesthetists.

• Mar 27, 2019

Personal Statement- Nurse Anesthesia Application

By popular demand, I am sharing my personal statement from when I applied to CRNA school in 2016. Keep in mind, it's not perfect by any means and I have become a much better writer while in CRNA school due to all the doctoral research classes, haha. However, I wanted to be honest and not make any edits. I was 26 when I started my anesthesia journey and reading my statement is not only humbling, but it's a reminder of where I started and how BADLY I wanted it.

Brittany B Harvey, RN, BSN, CCRN

Since high school, I have always been fascinated by the nurse anesthesia career. However, it was not until the summer before my freshman year of college, while volunteering at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, I gained a true insight into the field. I was assisting a child life specialist prepare a nine-year old boy for a routine tonsil-adenoidectomy. We carefully demonstrated how he would wear the “special space mask” and showed him the “little straw” he would have in his arm to receive sleeping medications during his surgery. Shortly following that consult, I mentioned to the child life specialist my interest in furthering my education after nursing school, focusing on anesthesia. A few minutes later, she introduced me to a young, effervescent CRNA, named Kelly. Kelly allowed me to shadow her for the rest of the day and spent hours teaching me the intricacies of anesthesia. I could see the passion in her eyes and became instantly hooked! Over the past three years, I have had the opportunity to shadow an anesthesiologist and three CRNAs during several cardiac and thoracic surgeries, including a left ventricular assist device implantation. That fiery passion I witnessed in Kelly’s eyes was also present in the eyes of the three CRNAs, and is now the same passion I carry with me for anesthesia.

Throughout nursing school, I continued to carry the thought of nurse anesthesia with me while completing my BSN degree. Out of our 50-student cohort, I was one of 12 nursing students selected to participate in the nursing honors program and graduated in the top nine percent of my class. I was also given the privilege to serve on my college’s Nursing Student Board as the Community Health Director for over a year. In this position, I was responsible for fundraising and organizing community health events.

These community events included public flu shot clinics, educational presentations for fellow undergraduate students, Relay for Life, Walk for a Cure, and Susan G Komen walks. While in nursing school I continued to stay involved in our local chapter (MSCANS), state chapter (GANS), and national chapter (NSNA) for nursing students. Through my membership with NSNA, I was introduced to my first medical mission, a two-week trip to Costa Rica with other nursing and medical students. I have since

participated, as a registered nurse, on another two-week medical mission trip to Kenya with a group of talented professionals from various medical fields. On both of these trips, I had the unique experience of caring for adults and children outside of modern medical conveniences. My focus on these trips was displaying compassion and improving quality of life for those who lack access to primary healthcare. These experiences further fueled my desire to grow and challenge myself as a nurse while improving current nursing practices.

Following nursing school graduation, I was offered an amazing opportunity to work at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta-Scottish Rite in a 50-bed, level II trauma emergency center. While there, I gained an irreplaceable foundation for nursing, which in turn inspired me to transition to an adult intensive care setting. After 18 months at Scottish Rite, I left to join an incredible team of nurses and providers at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital in the Coronary Care Unit/Medical Intensive Care Unit. At this 500-bed

hospital, including six adult intensive care units, I have been rewarded with extraordinary opportunities that have fully prepared me for advancements in my nursing career. For example, one month after completing my CCU orientation, I was approached by my unit manager to join two highly competitive critical care nursing councils. I was quickly voted in as co-chair of our CCU Unit Based Council and

shortly thereafter became CCU’s representative for Piedmont’s Critical Care Practice Council, where I still serve. On these councils, I have a front row seat to our nurse driven practices and have contributed in creating protocols and procedures for restraints, bronchoalveolar lavages, and post-cardiac arrest induced hypothermia. In addition, I assisted in creating the 2015 and 2016 annual competencies for all six intensive care units, developed three in-services to educate our intensive care nurses on topics including QT intervals and Torsades de Pointes, rapid sequence intubation, and hypothermia therapy following cardiac arrests, and am currently assisting with data collection and analysis as our CCU submits its first application for a Beacon Award. Continuing to always challenge myself, seven months off orientation, my lead charge nurse requested I begin training for relief charge and precepting of new

graduate nurses. A few months later, I was given a permanent relief charge nurse position for our night shift team.

While working in our 19-bed CCU/MICU, I have had the opportunity to care for a high acuity patient population and am experienced with ventilator support, ABG analysis, EKG interpretation, various ventricular assisted devices, intra-aortic balloon pumps, transvenous pacemakers, EKOS, CRRT/CVVHD, hypothermia devices, Swan-Ganz catheters, Rotoprone therapy, and several other diagnostic and therapeutic devices. I am familiar with vasoactive drips including, Epinephrine, Norepinephrine, Phenylephrine, Vasopressin, Dopamine, Dobutamine, Milrinone, Nitroglycerin,

Nitroprusside, as well as many other essential medications. I have also developed a thorough understanding of these medications and their effects on cardiac output/index, SVR, PVR, PAS/PAD, PAOP, heart rate and blood pressure due to our requirements for continuous in-depth monitoring of our patients. After 18 months in the CCU/MICU, I was the first intensive care nurse to be approved for cross training in our 34-bed CVICU. In this unit, I have been able to care for an array of patients including, various open-heart surgeries, VV/VA extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, heart transplants, and

ventricular assisted device transplants. In addition to my cross training, leveling as a Nurse III Preceptor, receiving my CCRN, and actively studying for my CMC has enabled me to feel more confident in autonomously caring for my acutely ill patients, and has allowed me to quickly identify and prioritize complex clinical situations. These professional advancements, as well as the positions I have held throughout nursing school and my career, have greatly enhanced my leadership skills in my nursing

Like many others who join the healthcare field, I have a strong desire and eagerness to serve and care for others. As a CRNA, I will be able to directly center my attention on one patient at a time, concentrating solely on them. I cannot think of a more focused professional role as a patient advocate. I hold a deep respect for the nurse anesthesia career, as it demands excellence, vigilance, leadership, and compassion. It can be immensely challenging, yet fully rewarding. I am striving to become a CRNA

because each day I want to have the responsibility to care for another individual during the most vulnerable time of their life- a time when they place every ounce of their trust in their nurse anesthetist. I know anesthesia school will be one of the greatest challenges I will ever face, but I am determined and confident in myself and the passion I have for anesthesia to succeed in this highly respectable career. Thank you for considering me as a future student and I hope to become a valuable addition to your CRNA program!

Brittany B Harvey

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• Oct 12, 2023

CRNA Personal Statement Examples

Updated: Feb 20

Born and raised in Manila, the Philippines, I am a young man and a nurse who is three-quarters Filipino and one-quarter Chinese. One of four siblings, I grew up in a tiny, humble home in one of the most impoverished slums in Manila , far from the city lights. We were happy even though fifteen people shared our house throughout my childhood. Despite losing my mother to America, I was blissfully unaware of any disadvantage of my social class. One day when I was six, I woke up to find my mother and all her things gone. A decade would pass before we would be reunited in Pasadena, California.

I came to the US when I was sixteen, a first-generation immigrant. I take immense pride in our celebration of diversity here in South Central California. I am honored to be building a career in nurse anesthesia with a particular concentration on emergency care. The underserved often have no medical care until they have an emergency; this is why I take special pride in my goal of becoming a CRNA dedicated to a lifetime of service on the front lines of care for our enormous population of undocumented residents. I recently finished my BSN at XXXU in May 2013. I treasure the opportunity to give my all to my studies when I am not on duty. I ask to be accepted to your program so I may return to doing what I most enjoy, studying to become the most effective nurse possible.

As with most Filipinos, I am amazingly comfortable communicating in English. I do hope, however, that my fluency in Tagalog, both writing and speaking, will be helpful in my nursing career. I want to study at XXXU’s XXXX Campus for many reasons, not the least because I live and work there . I also appreciate that your program is new, and if I am accepted, I will be part of the third graduating class. I feel profound admiration for your curriculum's breadth and depth, and I particularly appreciate your emphasis on the importance of diversity in our nursing community.

Committed to lifelong learning, I keenly look forward to an extensive engagement with research in nursing anesthesia that I will most enjoy for many decades. I want to participate in research concerning better ways of applying anesthesia with fewer side effects and greater overall efficiency in all aspects of my field. My desire to become the finest CRNA possible is something that has been building up for several years, mainly because of several vital role models that I have had along the way, such as Dr. XXXX, an anesthesiologist, and XXXX, a CRNA, working alongside both during my military service was a special privilege.

I have extensive experience as a respiratory therapist using various ventilators and their modes. I also see my profound dedication to emergency nursing as one of the most vital aspects of my application to your distinguished program. In my current position, I deal with cardiac arrest and resuscitation daily; this has helped me learn to work well under stress.

Your program at XXXU is the ideal location for my complete immersion in clinical anesthesia.  I especially admire the structure of the second phase of your program and the organization of your c linical practicums . I particularly look forward to working under the supervision of CRNAs in my practicum and clinical rotations. I appreciate that those rotations are available throughout California so that I can gain exposure to anesthesia delivery in various contexts, from large academic institutions to rural and outpatient settings. I have served as a respiratory therapist since 2002, and I have also served as an anesthesia technician, working side-by-side with anesthesia providers, including CRNAs and anesthesiologists. Most of my duties were related to anesthesia delivery throughout the four years I was stationed at Naval Hospital XXXX . For me, this was the ultimate shadowing experience.

California needs exceptionally well-trained CRNAs, especially concerning emergency services — particularly here in the Central Valley, and I seek to respond to that need. I live and work here and want to continue attending school here and practicing here after completing your distinguished program. I hope at some point to teach as well as practice Nurse Anesthesia. Your DNP program in Nurse Anesthesia will serve as an ideal platform for continuing my education at some point.

While my overall GPA for my BSN program was only 3.5, for my last three semesters, I earned a GPA of 3.9. This demonstrates how my elevated level of motivation has been increasing. I believe that I could excel in your rigorous program.

Thank you for considering my application.

This applicant is multicultural and multilingual. But he does not mention his language skills. He speaks only Tagalog (spoken in the Philippines) and English. While he is part Chinese, he does not speak Mandarin Chinese. Mandarin, and to a lesser extent Cantonese, are important for helping the underserved. If an applicant speaks a Chinese language, this should be put in the statement because of its relevance for helping the underserved. The hospital is aware of the languages that are spoken by its nurses, those who are multilingual are on call to serve as translators between patients and medical professionals. So, the languages that one can communicate in are especially important in nurse anesthesia.

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The CRNA Chase Academy

Craft your perfect personal statement for crna school acceptance.

CRNA schools are looking for professionals with motivation and vision. You can position yourself to be accepted by creating the perfect personal statement to communicate and articulate what makes you an amazing future CRNA! Let me show you how.

Your personal statement is a crucial component of your CRNA school application. It's an opportunity to showcase your unique experiences, passions, and motivations that make you an exceptional candidate for the program. However, crafting a compelling personal statement can feel like a daunting task, leaving you overwhelmed and unsure of where to begin.

Don't let the personal statement become a roadblock in your journey towards CRNA school acceptance. Take control of your narrative and unlock your potential with this mini-course. 

This course is designed to guide you through the process of creating a personal statement that will captivate the admissions committee and increase your chances of acceptance to a CRNA program. 

What will be the takeaways?

In this training, we will cover:

• Personal Statement Workshop 
• 5 Steps to Begin Writing Your Personal Statement 
• 9 Ways to Standout on Your Personal Statement 

Who is this for? This training will benefit:

• Professionals embarking on their CRNA journey 
• Anyone curious about the application process
• Experienced registered nurses looking to advance their careers and transition into the CRNA profession

Who is this not for? This is not ideal for:

• Anyone who has no interest in submitting a CRNA school application!

Course curriculum

Welcome Future CRNA!

How I Got Here

CRNA School Personal Statement Workbook

Personal Statement Workshop Training

5 Steps to Begin Writing Your Personal Statement

9 Ways to Standout on Your Personal Statement

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How to Write the Perfect NP School Personal Statement

Apr 7, 2020 | Job Search Tips

Most nurse practitioner (NP) schools require their prospective students to compose a personal statement. Often, these elusive essays cause applicants to panic, but with just cause: personal statements are one of the most important components of NP school applications.

Having applied to a BSN, MSN, and DNP program in my past, I have written more personal statements than I can count. In this article, I offer general advice for preparing, writing, and editing your essay.

To help temper your anxiety, this post elaborates on the importance of:

• Following directions
• Being honest
• Writing passionately and professionally
• Making your case
• Starting with an outline
• Offering a story
• Speaking the nursing language
• Addressing your “red flags”
• Giving yourself plenty of time
• Using correct syntax and grammar
• Reading it out loud

Follow Directions

First and foremost, follow directions. Each school has different guidelines for their personal statements, and you do not want your application thrown out just because you fell under their required word count. Some schools provide explicit information on the length, format, and content of the personal statement while others leave the task more open-ended.

For example,  Vanderbilt University  provides an open-ended prompt for the admissions essay: “The Statement of Purpose should reflect your understanding of the role of the advanced practice nurse and your interest in either a particular patient population, in healthcare leadership or in nursing informatics. Before writing your statement of purpose, please carefully review information about the specialty on our website so that you clearly indicate to the faculty that your career goals are a fit with the specialty.”

Drexel University  also offers specific guidelines for their personal statement requirement: “Personal statement (under 1,000 words) that will give the admissions committee a better understanding of: (1) Why you are choosing this particular program of study; (2) Your plans upon completion of the graduate degree; and, (3) How your current work experience will enhance your experience in this MSN program.”

On the other hand, NP schools like  Duke University  and  University of California San Francisco  merely ask for a “personal statement” or “goal statement” with no further direction. Be aware that not every school calls your essay a personal statement. Allen College, for example, calls it a “biographical sketch,” and Johns Hopkins University calls it a “written expression of goals.”

Every application will be slightly different, so it is important to stay organized. Table 1 is an example of how I stayed organized during my NP school applications.

Make sure your answers line up with your resume or curriculum vitae. Do not exaggerate your skills or accomplishments. Instead, be proud of what you have achieved and speak enthusiastically about your desire to become an NP.

Never let someone else write your essay for you, and never plagiarize content from books, blogs, or journal articles. The admissions committee may scan your personal statement for plagiarism using an online program. Be sure to check your essay before you submit it using a website like  PlagTracker ,  Turn It In , or  Grammarly .

Write Passionately and Professionally

One of my favorite quotes is from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” If being an NP is your goal, pursue it with courage, determination, and passion. Become enthusiastic about all things nurse practitioning.

Writing professionally does not mean writing a bland, scientific paper. Be concise, be consistent, use clear examples, and make it sound like you. Make sure your personal statement succinctly and lucidly portrays your passion for becoming an NP. Do not use this essay as a means to criticize past professors or other NP programs.

Make Your Case

Think of your personal statement as your chance to convince the admissions committee to accept you. Why should they admit you? What makes you unique? Why will you succeed in graduate school? Why will you be an excellent nurse practitioner? Use your essay to make your case.

Make sure you tailor your answers to your chosen medical specialty. For example, if you are applying to become an emergency nurse practitioner, what characteristics do you have that will ensure your success? Are you quick on your feet, calm under pressure, and compassionate to all? Are you enthusiastic about this specialty? What have you done or what do you do that demonstrates your passion?

Start with an Outline

Sometimes the hardest part is figuring out where to begin. A mind map can help you start brainstorming. A mind map is a spidergram that offers a structured method for developing ideas.

When you are ready, use your mind map to create a topical outline. Typically, you will want to have an introduction and conclusion paragraph that sandwich a handful of body paragraphs. Your introduction and conclusion should include your thesis and summary of your subtopics. Each body paragraph should elaborate upon one subtopic. I use the following outline when beginning my articles.

Introduction Paragraph

• An attention-grabbing opening statement
• A thesis statement summarizing the theme and purpose of the paper
• Mention each subtopic covered in the body paragraphs

Body Paragraphs (one for each subtopic)

• Opening sentence that indicates subtopic to be discussed
• Multiple sentences that provide supporting details and examples
• A short explanation regarding how these details or examples relate to your thesis

Concluding Paragraph

• Begin with a restatement of your thesis
• Summarize your main topic and subtopics
• End with global statement

Offer a Story

You want the admissions team to remember you. You want to stand out. Try to incorporate a personal story that will make you memorable. The stories can usually be about anything you like: anything from a conversation with a mentor to a volunteer experience. Make the story interesting and use it to illustrate and emphasize your key points.

Choose a story that describes how you decided to become an NP or one that illustrates your personal values. You might also write about a particular challenge or experience that changed your perspective. Try to choose a story that gives the reader a clear impression of who you are and why you will be successful in NP school.

Consider beginning the story in your introduction, telling small pieces in each body paragraph, and ending the story in your conclusion paragraph. If you decide to tel a story in your personal statement, I suggest using the outline below.

• Open with a short vignette that introduces your story and the conflict or challenge
• With each new body paragraph, tell a little more of the story, relating each part of the anecdote to the subtopic
• Conclude the story with what you learned or by emphasizing the moral
• Restatement of your thesis and summarize your subtopics

Speak the Nursing Language

In your personal statement, speak the nursing language. This will give you credibility. For those new to the NP field, learn the language by reading as many books as you can.  A good place to start is Stewart and DeNisco’s  Role Development for the Nurse Practitioner . This text offers a broad overview of health policy, healthcare reform, mentoring, prescriptive authority, and the history of NPs. A newer book that I love is Carolyn Buppert’s  Nurse Practitioner’s Business Practice and Legal Guide . This book will give you more detailed information about the scope of practice laws in each state.

It never hurts to touch on these seminal publications from the  Institute of Medicine :

• The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health
• Assessing Progress on the IOM Report The Future of Nursing
• To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System
• Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century
• Health Professions Education: A Bridge to Quality

You might also consider citing these position papers published by the  American Association of Nurse Practitioners :

• Quality of Nurse Practitioner Practice
• Scope of Practice for Nurse Practitioners
• Use of Terms Such as Mid-Level Provider and Physician Extender
• Clinical Outcomes: The Yardstick of Educational Effectiveness
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Discussion Paper
• Nurse Practitioner Curriculum

Address Your Red Flags

If you have a red flag in your application, explain it in your personal statement. Do you have a bad grade or low Graduate Record Exam score? Maybe you lack a full year of nursing experience. Rather than shying away from the topic, offer a clear, accurate explanation. Demonstrate humility, and write about how you have compensated for this mistake, challenge, setback, or flaw.

Give Yourself Plenty of Time

Do not procrastinate! Start your personal statement weeks in advance. Give yourself adequate time to brainstorm, write an outline, compose each paragraph, revise, and edit. A rushed essay might land your entire application in the rejected pile.

Use Correct Syntax and Grammar

Proofread, proofread, and proofread again! A clean, well-composed essay exemplifies your ability to succeed in a graduate program. My favorite website for checking grammar is  Grammarly . They offer a free and premium service. They advertise that their software catches 250 errors that Microsoft Word does not detect. I also find their free  Grammar Handbook  helpful.

Throughout my DNP program, I started a list of general writing tips. Here are some of the most important:

• Use  American Psychological Association  (APA) formating
• Avoid generalities, cliches, and psychobabble
• Do not use the verb “to get”
• Do not use “very” as an intensifier
• Data is plural, so use a plural verb
• Use active voice whenever possible
• “Compare with” points out differences between two similar things
• Affect is a verb and effect is a noun
• Keep the subject and the verb close together
• Omit needless prepositions
• Use that if what you are saying cannot be eliminated without changing the meaning of the sentence
• Use which if you can delete the clause and the sentence will still have the same meaning
• Avoid using negative statements
• Write out numbers under 10 (e.g. three, seven, 10, 45)
• Be consistent with abbreviations and titles
• Avoid contractions

In general, avoid adverbs. Instead, use stronger verbs that imply the adverb. Here is a list of strong verbs to consider:

• Exemplifies
• Corroborates
• Approximates

There are a variety of websites that can help you with APA formatting, grammar, syntax, and checking for plagiarism. Some good resources include:

• http://www.apastyle.org/
• http://www.thesaurus.com/
• https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/
• http://www.grammarbook.com/
• https://www.plagtracker.com

Read it Out Loud

After you have finished writing your essay, read it out loud. Most people have more experience listening and speaking than writing and editing. By reading your personal statement out loud, your brain will hear the information and new way and notice flaws you did not see before.

It helps to print a copy of your paper so that you can take notes as you read. Read at a slow to moderate pace. Try to be systematic about your reading: check for grammar the first time through, syntax the second time, and tone the third time.

As you listen to your paper, pay attention to the order of your ideas. Note any gaps in your explanations. Make sure you transition clearly from one main idea to the next. Do not be afraid to reorder sentences, paragraphs, or entire sections. Also, listen for grammatical and syntax errors. You will probably notice sentences that are awkward, too convoluted, and repetitive.

Finally, hearing your paper out loud will give you a sense of its tone. Does your paper sound too casual, too chatty, or too formal? This essay is the admission committee’s first impress of you. Consider reading your paper to a friend and asking them what impression they obtain from your answers.

Dr. Melissa DeCapua, DNP, PMHNP-BC

AuthorMelissa DeCapua is a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner who graduated from Vanderbilt University. She has a background in child and adolescent psychiatry as well as psychosomatic medicine. Uniquely, she also possesses a bachelor’s degree in studio arts, which she uses to enhance patient care, promote the nursing profession, and solve complex problems. Melissa currently works as the Healthcare Strategist at a Seattle-based health information technology company where she guides product development by combining her clinical background and creative thinking. She is a strong advocate for empowering nurses, and she fiercely believes that nurses should play a pivotal role in shaping modern health care. For more about Melissa, check out her blog  www.melissadecapua.com  and follow her on  Twitter @melissadecapua .

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7 Tips To Get Into CRNA School, Even With a Low G.P.A.

• You Are More Than a Grade

It Only Takes One

• 7 Ways to strengthen your CRNA school application

Life Happens...

Follow @wali_khann on Instagram!

I believe at one point or another, every new (and seasoned) nurse aspires or at least thinks about becoming a CRNA as a potential future career. However, many potential applicants shy away from the opportunity or do not explore the possibility due to the rigorous and competitive CRNA school requirements. 

If you are someone that has researched the process of getting into CRNA school or are an ICU nurse currently applying for one, you know it is an incredibly competitive process. 

There are many criteria that students must possess in order to produce a competitive application, but the MOST important of these criteria is the undergraduate science (chemistry, organic chemistry, microbiology, anatomy & physiology) and the nursing school GPA. Most programs require a GPA of at least 3.0, with some requiring as high as a 3.5. It’s especially important that you earn a GPA of at least 3.0 in your health- and science-related courses for admission to most programs.

>>  See the Top CRNA Programs

If you’re anything like me, then you had no idea where you were going to work after graduating from nursing school, let alone even think about applying to CRNA school. And let's be honest, life happens and not everyone graduates school with a 4.0 GPA. So what if you didn’t have the best grades in nursing school but you went on to become a competent, compassionate, and intelligent nurse. Do you still have a chance of getting into CRNA school? 

• The answer on paper: NO 
• The real answer: YES! But only if YOU can show it. 

>> Show Me CRNA Programs

You Are More Than a Grade 

I serve as the class president of my cohort and for the last several months I’ve assisted faculty in conducting interviews for the incoming class of student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs). I’ve asked faculty members questions to explore and understand exactly what it is they seek in potential candidates. 

• Is it just “good grades?" 
• Must every candidate have a 4.0 in order to be considered competitive? 

And despite what you may have heard from others or read on a nursing blog; the overwhelming consensus is NO! 

Before we get into how you can strengthen your application for CRNA school, I need you to reaffirm a truth about yourself that you may have forgotten on your journey. 

The single best piece of advice I received when I was applying to school was that it only takes ONE.

• It only takes ONE school
• It only takes ONE interview
• It only takes ONE opportunity for you to tell your story. 

And when you are given that opportunity, you must be the best storyteller there is. Because there is no one that knows your story better than you. Whether you are preparing responses for your essays and personal statements or getting ready for an upcoming interview, consider these 7 points to strengthen your overall CRNA school application. 

Learn more about becoming a Nurse Anesthetist at Nurse.org's  Ultimate Guide to Becoming a CRNA.

7 Ways to strengthen your CRNA school application 

1. Tell Your Story - Who Are YOU?

The person or people reading your application want to know who you are as an individual. They all know you are an ICU nurse with a few years of experience because that is a requirement. What they don’t know is what kind of a person you are. 

• They don’t know what kind of life you have lived 
• They don’t know what you have had to overcome to stand where you do today

As you write the responses to the essay prompts of the applications, now is the time to tell your unique and powerful story. Some things to think about, 

• Did you face adversity on your journey to and through nursing school? 
• Did you have to overcome trials and tribulations that made your success an unlikely reality? 
• Make your responses to these questions intentional and purposeful. 
• They want to see if you possess the tenacity to overcome obstacles in your life - your unwillingness to quit and persevere is telling of what kind of a person you are and what kind of student you will be. Your individual story may be one of resiliency. Now is the time to draw a parallel from your life to your future journey in school. 

A key trait that many schools seek in candidates is “Grit”. Grit is a positive, non-cognitive trait based on an individual's perseverance of effort combined with the passion for a particular long-term goal or end state. CRNA school is a three-year-long journey that will challenge every aspect of your life. Faculty wants to see if you possess the motivation to achieve this personal objective. 

2. Emotional Intelligence

Chances are, if you haven’t researched how schools are conducting interviews nowadays, you’re probably unfamiliar with the idea of emotional intelligence and how it helps others see what kind of an individual you are. 

Emotional intelligence or EI is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, and those of the people around you. People with a high degree of emotional intelligence know what they're feeling, what their emotions mean, and how these emotions can affect other people. 

According to Daniel Goleman, an American psychologist who helped to popularize emotional intelligence, there are five key elements to it: 

• Self-awareness 
• Self-regulation
• Motivation 
• Social skills

Whether it's by reading your answers to written questions, direct questions in an interview or demonstration through role-play, schools want to see you demonstrate emotional intelligence. 

Here’s an example, 

Let's put this into more relevant and practical terms. Upon graduation from CRNA school and after passing boards, we’re going to be CRNAs who will routinely be working in the OR (operating room). Now, the OR is a place with a potpourri of personalities that are oftentimes unpredictable. On average we will be working with surgeons of different backgrounds and specialties, anesthesiologists, anesthesia assistants, OR nurses, OR techs, and environmental teams. 

Recall back to when you were in a rapid response or cardiac arrest. Remember how out of control and unpredictable the situation can become in a split second? Now envision the same scenario unfolding with you at the head of the bed and the whole room looking and screaming at you for answers. For leaders, having emotional intelligence is essential for success. After all, who is more likely to succeed – a leader who shouts at his team when he's under stress, or a leader who stays in control, and calmly assesses the situation? You can be the” smartest” individual on paper, but if that intelligence doesn’t translate to your practice, how good of a provider will you really be? 

3. Take graduate-level classes

If you’re an ICU who is interested in applying to CRNA school, but you don’t have the most competitive (science) GPA, one of the best things you can do right now shows you are actively trying to be better than you were. The way to demonstrate that is by enrolling in classes at a university or graduate school that can be applied towards your advanced practice degree (MSN, DNP). If you’re applying with a recent bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN), you’ll likely already have taken the required courses. However, if you earned your BSN more than five years prior or in a non-nursing field, you might need to take additional classes before applying to CRNA school.  

There are many CRNA schools that will allow prospective students to take some didactic coursework at outside institutions and have the credits transfer over. This action is reflective of your ability to take higher level graduate courses and succeed, despite not having had the strongest undergraduate grades.  Your ability to take preliminary didactic graduate-level classes like physics, chemistry, health assessment, statistics, and pathophysiology will demonstrate not only your ability to succeed but also your desire to invest in yourself and grow beyond where you were at one point. 

This action alone makes a strong statement on your behalf. It says to the people reading your application loud and clear, “I am aware I did not have the best grades at one point, but I am willing to show that I can be successful in your program. Here are some of the steps I’ve taken to better myself!” It shows that your past is not reflective of the person or student you are today or will become tomorrow and that is a powerful statement to make. This step can also potentially make your life a lot easier down the road as you will have a lessened class load compared to those who did not take extra classes outside.

4. Community Service 

Grades aside, the panel of faculty will want to see what other aspects of your application make you a competitive candidate. One area that is often overlooked and under weighed by prospective students is community service. 

The people reading your application are genuinely interested in getting to know you beyond your 2-3 years of ICU experience that you have listed on your resume. They want to see what you do outside of the hospital when you’re not in scrubs and on the clock. This is time to show that you are someone invested in your local, national, even global community. 

Your involvement in your community shows you, 

• Care about others 
• Are willing to give back - not because it makes you look good on paper or earns praise, but because you genuinely are invested in the well being and concern of others. 

This can easily turn into a talking point later down the road in a potential interview for ‘why do you want to be a CRNA?’ 

• Is it because YOU want to make more money? 
• Because YOU want to increase your skillset and scope of practice? 
• Perhaps YOU want to add more letters to the alphabet soup after your name? 

Keep in mind that your involvement in your community and your ongoing civic engagement shows your dedication and commitment to those around you and your willingness to give to those that may be less privileged. It makes a statement on your behalf that you understand that life is bigger than just you. 

Anyone who reads your application knows what an ICU nurse is, what they do, and their scope of practice. What they don’t know is what THIS ICU NURSE (you) does in his/her underprivileged or marginalized community. 

However, you won’t have anything to say unless you’ve actually rolled up your sleeves and done something for your community. And maybe while you’re in the process of refining your application for school, you just may end up learning something about yourself as an individual and your own capacity to love and care for others. 

After all, this is what our profession is truly about. It's about giving back to people, taking care of people that we may never cross paths within our day to day lives, and perhaps through involvement in your community, this may help to cultivate you personally on an individual level.  

5. Work Experience

Ideally, when applying to CRNA school, this is a straightforward concept. Before you can enter a CRNA program, you’ll also need at least one year of experience working as an RN in a critical care setting, though your school may require more time. 

According to the AANA, aspiring CRNAs enter graduate programs with an average of 2.9 years of experience in critical care. Although any adult ICU is accepted for school requirements, you can turn this into a leverage point. If you come from a small, low acuity hospital, and work on a unit that barely pushed you to your potential or challenged your intellectual capacity, a parallel transfer may be advantageous. This move shows your willingness to take on a new challenge, learn a new skill set, and be exposed to a broad range of disease processes in preparation for your new endeavor. It's easy to become complacent and apathetic when we aren’t pushed or challenged. A transfer to a robust environment to challenge yourself and expose yourself to new opportunities may prove advantageous in an interview and set you up for leverage. 

6. Certifications /Entrance Exams

Most programs require the GRE, though there are exceptions. As of 2020, a few schools have permanently removed the GRE from their application requirement, so be sure to check before applying. In some cases for instance, if you hold a recent BSN with a strong GPA, this requirement might be waived. Other programs may ask you to take an exam specific to their school or not require testing at all. 

For programs requiring the GRE, many do not publish a minimum score requirement, but 300 is generally considered to be the lower end of the range of acceptable scores. If you are planning to apply to a school that does still require the GRE as an entrance exam, take the time to really study. This means you may have to set aside ample time and may actually have to study for more than a month, purchase the prep programs (Kaplan, Magoosh, etc.), and score within the required range for acceptance. 

I have known many students that relied on grades or other aspects of their application alone and were turned away due to unsatisfactory scores on the GRE. Many did not take the exam seriously and thought it was just a refresher of middle school and high school course work until they took the exam and realized it actually is not like that and in fact, does require adequate planning, studying and strategy to succeed. Making assumptions, not adequately preparing, and taking things for granted can set you up for failure and your opportunity at an interview or even a potential seat in a CRNA school. 

CCRN Advantage 

Many programs also require applicants to have a Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) certification, which requires an exam. Even if this credential isn’t required, getting it can demonstrate your level of expertise and commitment and increase your chances of being accepted into a competitive program. Given a scenario where another candidate is neck to neck with you, having this certification or other things that boost your application just may be the leverage you need to break the tie and secure your spot. 

Although not a requirement, I chose to show my dedication and commitment in a slightly different way. I wanted whoever was reading my application to know that I was hungry. I wanted them to know that I was willing to go over and beyond what was asked of me to prove that I belonged in their (or any other) program. While studying for the GRE and still being employed as a full-time, I took classes and became an ACLS and PALS instructor and began teaching initial and renewal ACLS and PALS classes at my hospital. I was aware this was not a requirement, but I wanted them to see that I was just as competitive of a candidate as anyone else. 

7. Leadership 

The dynamics of how care is delivered to patients is changing rapidly. With these new changes to structure and care models, we also find ourselves facing new challenges that require the presence and capabilities of strong leadership. CRNA schools want to produce not only competent CRNAs that will deliver the safest care to patients, but also individuals that will go on to become strong providers with a passion for advocacy in their profession. 

There are many challenges that the CRNA profession faces today, especially in terms of their independence and full scope of practice. 

• There are many political conversations that are happening behind the scenes at capitol hill and even in courts. 
• A potential question to ponder when preparing your essay and or interview response is: are you someone that is invested in not only making yourself better but the people that you’re working with and representing? 

When we become student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs), we become part of the American Association of nurse anesthetists (AANA), the professional association representing Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and student registered nurse anesthetists nationwide. Whether it's in your application or in an interview panel, now is the time to highlight whether you’ve served on a committee in your hospital or in your respective unit. 

• What changes were implemented because of your suggestions and feedback? Your commitment and desire to serve in this capacity shows you were invested in making not only yourself better, but also the place you called home for so many years that taught you the necessary skills to be where you are today. All these things will add up because they reflect that when you graduate as a competent CRNA, you will continue to be a voice of advocacy and representation for your profession and fellow colleagues. 

Don’t be disheartened if you weren’t the ideal student in nursing school. Don’t be disheartened if you have been out of school for a while and your dream now feels somewhat impossible. Life happens. I know you’ve heard this time and time again but allow me to reiterate this powerful truth: You are more than a grade. 

This time, it's coming from someone who wasn’t a straight “A” student in nursing school. But here I am today, in CRNA school, writing and advising you on how you can become the best version of yourself and work towards accomplishing your professional dream. We have interviewed students that did not have the ideal grades, but the panel chose to listen to these applicants because their essays portrayed such a high level of ambition and drive. So regardless of what stage of your nursing journey you are in, I want you to remember…

Dr. Wali Khan , DNAP, CRNA, is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesiologist, motivational speaker and humanitarian. His writing entails a powerful narrative and perspective on the balance between faith and medicine. Passionate about personal development, faith, and community service, he uses his voice on social media (Instagram) to highlight the intersection between the three. 

As a Muslim Pakistani-American immigrant and first-generation college graduate, his journey entails a story of perseverance, balance, and compassion that students and practitioners can relate to. His professional and personal goal has always been to advocate for human rights, diversity, and equality. 

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Tips on writing a 500-word personal statement essay

By Prostock-Studio via EnvatoElements

By Sylvie Diane Dobrota

Brainstorm themes or stories you want to focus on. Start by brainstorming different themes in your life (volunteering, arts, interest in storytelling, etc) Choose 1 or 2 themes you want to focus on.

It should be personal.  It can feel a little risky to write, and reveal yourself. Remember, we want to get to know you!

Answer the prompt. Make sure that you essay addresses all aspects of the question(s).

Show don’t tell. Rather than saying that you are passionate about health care, share a story about an important or impactful moment that furthered your interests in health care.

Just start writing. Set aside 20 minutes to begin writing. Sometimes getting past a blank page can get ideas flowing.

Have someone who knows you well read the draft. They can let you know if they think it sounds like you or not.

The views expressed here are the authors and they do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Stanford University School of Medicine. External websites are shared as a courtesy. They are not endorsed by the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Sylvie Diane Dobrota, BS Stanford Masters Candidate, Epidemiology

• Professional Development

9 Ways To Immediately Become The Strongest CRNA Applicant

Currently, many people are facing adversity and financial hardships. From decreased hours at work to loss of income completely. But now is not the time to give up on your dreams of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). In fact, strength is built through adversity. So give yourself time to get past your hardships, then get back up and stay focused on the end goal.

That being said, gaining acceptance to nurse anesthesia school is highly competitive. Since every applicant looks like you, you have to get creative in order to stand out. This is where all the extras is important. So what will make the admissions committee choose you over every other nurse anesthesia candidate? Here are 9 tips to make this a reality.

Read:  How to Become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)

1. Get great undergrad grades

The average GPA of most accepted nurse anesthesia students is greater than a 3.5. Great academic performance in sciences such as pharmacology, pathophysiology, or chemistry are a great way to demonstrate your academic ability. This is a strong indicator you can handle the rigors of a nurse anesthesia curriculum. Evidence of your academic ability is extremely important to gaining admission into a CRNA program.

2. Apply to the right CRNA programs

Prior to applying to any nurse anesthesia program you must be diligent when researching the schools in which you choose to apply to. Check out this awesome  website  to begin this process. After all, every program is unique and may not be the best fit for you. To increase your chances of getting into a CRNA program, plan on applying to at least three schools. While gaining admission may be tough, applying to the right schools will only increase your odds.

3. Put together an impressive CV

Your curriculum vitae (CV) is a critical part of your CRNA application. A CV is a showcase of your experience and achievements. It should be an evolving document as you and your career has evolved also. The key to creating an impeccable CV is to keep the time period relevant. For example, a CV for CRNA school should primarily focus on your experiences from nursing school and beyond.

Also carefully consider the sections you want to include in your CV. Typical sections when applying to CRNA school include education, work and volunteer experience, research, licensure and professional memberships. Now is the time to acknowledge all your accomplishments! And last proofread, proofread, proofread! This is important to spot any errors or inconsistencies in your CV before you submit your application.

4. Write a kick butt personal statement

As you prepare to apply to CRNA school, you’re probably stressed at the thought of writing your personal statement. Especially when it comes to what to write about or maybe not include at all. Your personal statement is your chance to write about anything you want to within the guidelines set by program you are applying to. In other words, you have total control over how the admissions committee see you and it allows you to show why your purpose is to be a nurse anesthetist.

Be sure to clearly highlight specific experiences and qualities which will enable you to become an excellent nurse anesthetist. If you are able to achieve this, you will definitely have a leg up on other CRNA applicants. The goal is to keep the admissions readers interested and eager to see what the next sentence is. This will make you stand out for sure!

5. Take a graduate level course

Passing a graduate level course shows the admissions committee you may fare well in their nurse anesthesia program. Your performance may also show the committee you may fare well in their program. But before going too far into graduate work, be sure you have taken all your prerequisites.

A solid graduate course to take is Statistics. It’s not too hard of a course and one which you could probably get an “A”. And after passing this course, be sure to mention it in your personal statement. Some schools may even require Statistics before you can apply to their program. So this will be a win, win situation either way. This will show you are determined and highly motivated. It also shows you can handle the complexity of the CRNA program and you already know how to study and learn. So this is half the battle to get through CRNA school.

6. Get involved in your profession

The next thing on your to do list is to get involved in the healthcare community. Not only join organizations but become an active participant. I joined the engagement committee and participated in my hospitals Habitat for Humanity. Make sure you join a committee you genuinely like and want to help grow. Programs love to see prospective candidates that are well rounded and passionate about their profession.

7. Job Shadow CRNAs for 40 hours

Shadowing a CRNA is an important part of becoming a CRNA. To fully gain an understanding of what the work of a CRNA is, you must shadow one first. Most applicants only shadow for 8 hours. In order to stand out from other applicants, I suggest you shadow a CRNA for 40 hours. Yes, I said it. Getting those 40 hours over a period of time is alright -just get it in! This goes a long way in showing the committee you know what you are getting into and you are in this for the long haul. I have included this handy  CRNA shadowing log  for your personal use. Just remember depending on the school you apply to, they may have their own CRNA shadowing form.

8. Get plenty of certifications

Most critical care nurses are required to take at the least Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS). Depending on your specialty unit you may also be required to obtain your Pediatric Life Support (PALS). Why not go a step further and obtain every certification you can. Like the  CCRN ,  TNCC , among others.

This is the time to think outside the box. Prior to becoming a CRNA, every Monday I was the Registered Nurse who provided moderate sedation for pain management procedures in the operating room. Therefore, it only made sense to get my  Certified Sedation Registered Nurse certification . These additional certifications are an indicator you are competent in critical care nursing. Also this shows you have obtained the knowledge along with gaining valuable experience while working in ICU.

Read:  Stay Motivated On Your Journey With These Easy Steps

9. Attend advanced nursing seminars

There are many CRNA programs which offer seminars for prospective applicants to help candidates get a good sense of what nurse anesthesia entails and prepare for school. What better way to show you are highly motivated, ready to apply and get some hands on experience in anesthesia in the process.

I attended the  Diversity CRNA Airway Management course  at the University of New England prior to applying to their program. In addition to learning so much about anesthesia, I also got to learn about the school and was given the opportunity to speak with the director. This will allow you to speak about your experiences and how much you want to be a CRNA. On the other hand, it will also tell you if the school will not be a good fit for you. Another CRNA program,  Wake Forest School of Medicine , also offers some continuing education programs.

Essential tips

I wanted to share some tips that will get you closer to the end goal of becoming a CRNA. After submitting your application, be sure to check on it often. And fight for your spot in the program. Getting into CRNA school is more than just making good grades and getting a high GRE scores. Everyone focuses way too much on the academic part of their application and forget to show the school who they are as a person and future anesthetist. It worked for me. So what are you waiting for?

Leave a comment

Hi! I’m Kiki. I’m a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist and PreCRNA Coach/Mentor for ICU Nurses to help them get into a CRNA program on the 1st try. 

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How to write a personal statement for nursing school.

Reviewed by:

Jonathan Preminger

Former Admissions Committee Member, Hofstra-Northwell School of Medicine

Reviewed: 6/19/23

Writing a personal statement for nursing school can be a daunting task, but we’re here to help! Here’s everything you need to know about writing a personal statement for nursing school.

Writing your personal statement is a nerve-wracking experience, no matter what program you’re applying for . You may be wondering: “what are nursing schools looking for in a personal statement?” or, “how can I make my personal statement for nursing school stand out?” Lucky for you, we’ve got some answers. 

Here we’ll cover everything you need to know about writing a personal statement for nursing school. We’ve included a breakdown of the components to include, examples of nursing school personal statements, and tips to improve your own. 

Let’s get started!

Get The Ultimate Guide on Writing an Unforgettable Personal Statement

What Is a Nursing School Personal Statement?

When applying to nursing schools , you’ll most likely notice that most applications require a personal statement. A personal statement is a short essay, typically no longer than two pages, that tells your target schools a little bit about who you are. 

Each school has different expectations for the length and contents of your personal statement, so make sure to check the specific requirements of your target schools. Some common topics include your personal goals for nursing school and why you want to become a nurse.

Nursing School Personal Statement Format

Before writing your personal statement for nursing school, you should plan out what you want to include. If your school does not ask you to answer a specific question with your essay, here is a list of what you should include in your nursing school personal statement.

An Introduction

The introductory paragraph should focus on what brought you to this point. Your school primarily wants to get to know you as a candidate through your personal statement. Your intro should include things like:

• How you first became interested in nursing
• What inspires you about becoming a nurse
• What you intend to achieve through a nursing degree

In this paragraph, your main goal is to introduce yourself and give the admissions committee a bit of background on your passion for nursing. Perhaps you have a family member who inspired you to pursue nursing, you grew up near a hospital, or you’ve struggled with health issues yourself - these are all great examples of an origin story. 

Think to yourself: “If my journey into nursing school was a movie, how would it begin?”

Body Paragraph(s)

In the body paragraph(s) of your nursing school personal statement, you can include a bit about your achievements. However, this isn’t the place to simply list your achievements. 

Think about how your experiences helped you to develop skills for nursing school . Include things like:

• How you’ve furthered your interest in nursing through experience (both in and out of school)
• How your achievements make you a good fit for the program
• Specific things about the program that interests you

The body portion of your essay should contain the majority of the information you want to include. Make sure to only include accomplishments if they help to explain how you’ll contribute to the program. Your CV will list any other achievements that don’t come into play here.

A Strong Conclusion

Your personal statement should end on a positive note. Think about summarizing your statement by looking toward the future. Include things like:

• Your future ambitions following nursing school
• What you’ll be able to contribute to the program 

The end of your body paragraph(s) should mention what you hope to achieve in the future with your nursing degree and lead into your conclusion. The final sentences of your personal statement should further state your passion for your program and how you’ll be a great fit at your target school. 

What Not to Write in a Personal Statement for Nursing School

Before getting into our tips and examples, let’s go over what not to include in your personal statement for nursing school. Here are some common mistakes to avoid when crafting your personal statement. 

Keep it Simple

Your personal statement should be authentic and genuine, but make sure to keep the brief in mind while you’re writing. As mentioned above, a personal statement is typically no longer than two pages in length. 

You should absolutely include some personal anecdotes; in fact, we encourage it! Just make sure to stick to the relevant parts of your story and not to elaborate too much on areas that are not relevant to your application. 

Do Not Reiterate Your CV

Your personal statement is an essay, not a resume. Keep in mind that your application already contains all of your achievements on your CV, transcripts, and other application materials. 

Your personal statement is about understanding your passion and motivations. You can use examples from your CV to further assert your interest in the program, but only if you can elaborate on how they’ve specifically helped you on your journey to nursing school. 

Tips for Writing a Stellar Nursing Personal Statement

Let’s go over a few tips on how you can improve your personal statement. Using these tips can help to make your personal statement and essays for your nursing school application stand out while remaining authentic and genuine. 

Create A Timeline

When writing your personal statement, your focus should be on telling your story. Creating a clear timeline of events can help to effectively tell the story of how you decided to apply for nursing. 

Start with how you became interested in nursing, develop your story with experiences that have cultivated your knowledge, and conclude by talking about your program and your future goals. A timeline will make your essay easy to read and give the admissions committee a good idea of your journey so far.

Stick To the Brief

If your target school(s) give you a specific prompt for your personal statement, make sure to refer back to the prompt while writing your essay to ensure you’re staying on track. 

For example, if your prompt asks you a question, be sure to answer the question at the beginning, the end, and throughout your essay. Your personal statement shouldn’t be vague or veer too far off course. 

Speak From the Heart

It is crucial in your nursing personal statement to share what makes you unique . This is your chance to show the admissions committee why you’d be a perfect fit in their program and demonstrate what you bring to the table. 

Include genuine experiences that have pushed you toward nursing throughout your life. Conveying your passions and motivations is critical in your personal statement for nursing school.

Do Your Research 

One great way to make your nursing personal statement stand out is to do thorough research on your program and include it in your piece. Showing your passion for the specific program. you’re applying to can give you an edge over others and impress the admissions committee. 

When you include your research, be sure to add it organically into your writing. Use your research as a way to connect your personal experiences to the program rather than simply listing information.

Nursing School Personal Statement Examples

Here are two nursing personal statement examples that were written successfully. We’ve also included explanations of how they are good examples to help you improve your own personal statement. 

*Important note: Do not use our samples in your nursing school application. These examples are meant to serve as a guide when crafting your own original personal statement for nursing school. 

Example #1: Indeed ’s Nursing School Personal Statement Sample

“I walked backward down the hill, my arms supporting the weight of the wheelchair as its wheels rolled slowly in reverse. Sunlight danced through the trees around us and shone in my grandmother's hair as she sat inside the wheelchair. I couldn't see my grandmother's face from that angle, but I could hear her laughing with joy as she enjoyed the outdoors for the first time in weeks. My grandmother came to live with my family two years ago after breaking her hip. Although she completed much of her recovery at our home, Nurse George came by every day to perform my grandmother's personal care tasks, monitor her vital signs and assist with her physical therapy exercises. George also taught me some basic patient care practices, such as how to support a wheelchair correctly while going downhill. I had never considered a career in nursing before, but George helped me see the rewards of helping people with their medical conditions and injuries. I am excited by this opportunity to apply to Fern Hill's College of Nursing because I appreciate your program's specialization in rehabilitation nursing. Being a part of my grandmother's recovery team has inspired me to pursue a nursing career that helps patients recover from injuries or medical conditions. I believe that your school's emphasis on assisting patients in regaining their independent skills can help me achieve these professional aspirations. Since realizing that I want to become a nurse, I have become a regular volunteer at Jefferson Rehabilitation Center. I mentor young people struggling with drug addictions and provide childcare for the children of rehabilitation patients. There is no feeling comparable to when a mentee or outgoing patient offers you a sincere "thank you." I can no longer imagine pursuing a career where I do not get to help people overcome their challenges and navigate their way to recovery. My experiences helping my grandmother and patients at Jefferson have taught me the value of empathy and communication. Frequently, my mentees simply want someone to listen to them. I do my best to give them a judgment-free space in which to share their stories. Whether the medical issue is emotional or physical, patients appreciate working with flexible and considerate people. I believe I embody these qualities by actively listening and letting patients talk at their own pace. I am ready to pursue a nursing career and learn about helping patients in a more professional and technical capacity. Fern Hill's College of Nursing is the ideal place to prepare for my future nursing career.”

Why this is a good example: In this example, the writer has done an excellent job of telling the story of how they became interested in nursing. They also develop a clear timeline of events from when they first thought about nursing to how they began developing their skills through volunteering. 

Most importantly, the candidate mentions specific reasons why they’re interested in the program and how they feel they can contribute to the school and field. 

Example #2: Johns Hopkins University Nursing Personal Statement Sample

“I grew up close to a hospital, where I watched patients go through the double doors for a variety of ailments. From a young age, this drove me to develop a strong interest in the field of medicine. I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in the future that would allow me to take care of those in need. Through my courses in the natural sciences as well as social studies, I have continued to develop my knowledge in the field in order to be ready to continue my education. Now, I am ready to take the next step in my education by applying for the Nursing program at Johns Hopkins University.  Three years ago I completed a nursing shadowing internship that opened my eyes to many of the daily struggles of being a nurse. During my time in the clinic and on the wards, I had the opportunity to work In the critical care and trauma ward as well as In obstetrics and geriatrics. These various experiences showed me the diverse role that nurses play in a healthcare setting, and emphasized the importance of empathy and dedication to patient care.  Johns Hopkins University Is known worldwide for its focus on patient wellness and medical research. As a nursing student at Hopkins, I hope to not only further the institution's goal of providing exceptional patient care, but also to assist with the many clinical trials ongoing at the hospital that pave the way for new treatments. Through hands-on training with knowledgeable staff, I know that I will be able to make the most of my nursing training at Johns Hopkins and become a nursing professional that is capable of enhancing patient wellness in a healthcare setting.”

Why this is a good example: In this example, the writer develops a clear timeline and clearly defines their relevant information. The writer covers when they first became interested in nursing, courses they’ve taken, and what experiences have made them get serious about the profession. 

Finally, they include why they are specifically interested in the program at Johns Hopkins and conclude by adding what they will add to the program as a student.

FAQs: How to Write a Personal Statement for Nursing School

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about nursing school personal statements. 

1. Do All Nursing Schools Require A Personal Statement?

Almost all nursing schools require a personal statement, which can typically be described as a short essay (2 pages or less) that explains who you are and why you want to attend the school’s nursing program.

2. Is a Personal Statement for Nursing School an Essay?

Yes, a personal statement is a short essay that briefly describes your past, present, and future experiences in relation to nursing.

3. How Long Should A Nursing Personal Statement Be?

Each nursing school has different length requirements, which can typically be found in the prompt. If no length is specified, two pages or less is recommended. 

4. What Should I Include In My Nursing School Personal Statement?

Your nursing personal statement should include:

• Why you want to become a nurse
• What inspires you about nursing
• Elaborate on the experiences you’ve had that have taught you about nursing
• Program-specific reasons for your interest in the school
• How you intend to contribute to the program and the field of nursing

If your school’s personal statement asks a specific question, that question should be answered throughout your essay. 

5. Does Nursing Require Essays?

Yes, most nursing program applications require personal statement essays, and some require secondary (or supplemental) essays as well.

6. When Should I Write My Personal Statement for Nursing School?

You should begin writing your personal statement(s) for nursing school as soon as you receive the prompt. Make sure to give yourself an adequate amount of time to complete all sections of your application before the deadline.

7. How do you Start a Personal Statement for Nursing School?

To start a compelling nursing personal statement, there are a few different writing techniques you can use. You can start by introducing yourself, start by talking about how you became interested in nursing, or you can start “in the action” by cutting right into your story. 

Final Thoughts

Your personal statement for nursing school should be genuine, heartfelt, and express how you will make an excellent addition to your target school’s nursing program through a series of examples. 

Each personal statement you write should be adjusted to suit the individual program you are applying for. Sending a general personal statement with every application you submit is impersonal and not recommended. Make sure to follow your brief closely and map out your essay before writing it to ensure you include all of the relevant information. 

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Letters of reference play a critical role in your acceptance into CRNA school! Jenny Finnell, CRNA and founder of CRNA School Prep Academy, lays out the details for getting letters of reference that help you shine here in this episode!

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Asking for letters of reference for crna school, who you should ask.

In this episode, we’re going to cover Letters of Reference. We’re going to get into the who, how, when, how much does it matter, and should you do extra. Let’s go ahead and dive into it. First and foremost, who should you ask for a letter of reference from? Schools will be very specific about who they want you to get letters of reference from, so you need to be researching what your school requires. On average, you can expect to need 2 to 3 letters of reference from various people in your community.

Who are those people? Again, it depends on what the school wants. For example, one of them, for the most part, across the board, is commonly needing to be from a current nurse supervisor. Now, this can be a hang-up for some of you, especially if you had a steady nursing job where you did a lot of leadership roles but now you have started traveling. You don’t necessarily have a good long-standing history with your current nursing supervisor, but you had a very good long-standing history with your nursing supervisor with whom you worked for a year or two prior to travel.

That is a very common theme that we see these days. These are some ideas on how to get around that. I have seen students find a way and have heard program faculty advise students on how to handle that. First and foremost, some schools are going to expect a current nurse supervisor, no exceptions meaning you have to figure it out. You have to have a current nurse supervisor. I have had some schools be a little more lenient and say, “Is it a nurse educator on your unit or maybe the clinical nurse specialist versus the actual manager?”

We’ve had students whose managers are not supportive. That’s unfortunate because if they’re not supportive of writing a letter of reference, what are you supposed to do? What if you’ve been there for a year and you’ve done a great job, but for whatever reason, they are not being helpful, to put it nicely. That does stink. I’ve seen that happen to very good candidates. A lot of times, to get around that, schools will tell students to ask someone else who is in a leadership role in their unit. It could be a charge nurse, a clinical nurse specialist of some kind, or an educator on your unit.

Even though they say current nurse supervisors, sometimes they’re willing to accept a previous nurse manager, as long as you stay contingent or you peer-run on that unit. The way I’ve seen students travel and get around this issue is by staying contingent, moonlight, or whatever you want to call it. By essentially keeping your foot in the door, so technically, they’re still a current employer.

It also can come in handy when you get more serious and you’re actively applying to school to go back to a more study unit to get the leadership roles if you have not had that yet. If you started off by traveling, when you’re only on assignment for twelve weeks, it’s hard to get leadership roles and get involved in committee work.

I have seen students who start off with traveling, then settle on a unit they like, and then work towards getting leadership experience. Another thing too, when you start traveling early on versus later on in your nursing career, you may not be getting the sickest of the sickest patients if you don’t already have advanced training like CRRT, ECMO, balloon pumps, or things like that. If you start off on a unit and get this extra training on advanced life support mechanisms, you’re more likely to get the sicker cases when you do travel. Keep that in mind as well.

Anyhow, back to references. Again, 1 or 2 to 3 professional references. Sometimes, they will say from a physician or an attending, but here’s another thing that people don’t think about too: A lot of schools will require a letter of reference from a program faculty member, not the CRNA program faculty but your nursing program faculty or any program faculty that knows you academically. They want someone who can attest to your academic ability and, more than your ability, but your drive and your passion for being a learner.

I know some of you are like, “I’ve been out of school for many years. What the heck?” The good news is, if you’ve been out of school for more than ten years, you’re more than likely going to have to go back and repeat some core Science courses anyways. Take advantage of that and get to know those professors. Work hard. Stay after and ask questions. Let them know who you are by name, and so when you go up to them at the end of the semester or quarter and you ask for that letter of reference, they will know you very well. Make a point on the very first day of class to say that you’re here to excel and learn as much as you can and you’re excited to be here.

Let them know that you’re there to, again, be an active learner. If you do that and nurture that relationship over the semester, by the end or even a month or two later, when you go back to ask for a letter of reference, they’re going to remember who you are and be happy to do so. If you have been out of school for 2 or 3 years and you don’t need any additional courses, that is something to think about now, especially if you’re early on, is to think about who would you ask? Was there a clinical preceptor that you favored while you were in nursing school? Would they remember who you are?

Letters Of Reference: If you go up to your professors on a routine basis, they will notice. Many months down the road, when you ask them for a letter of reference, they will be excited to do that for you.

I applied to school after being out for three years. I did go take a graduate Statistics course but I did that in my undergrad. I knew I needed it, so I took it in my undergrad. I had it all this time because I was a fifth senior nursing student. I did that, but at that time, I don’t remember knowing 100%. I don’t remember knowing that I needed a professor for a reference letter but I did for my program. I happened to connect with a clinical coordinator or professor during my senior rotation.

She was very pivotal in getting me OR experience as well as an ICU position as a senior nursing student. She was someone who I looked up to and worked well with. I shared with her that I want to go back to CRNA, which is why I wanted to get experience in ICU as a nursing student and in the OR to make sure that I’m setting myself up for success if I were to pursue this path.

I reached out to her even though it had been two and a half years later, and she remembered who I was. I didn’t know it at that time but the fact that I shared what my goals were, I made a point to get to know her and thank her for everything she did for me while I was a student, it set me up for success, later on, to be able to ask for that letter of reference for grad school.

Again, some things to think about as far as who to ask. I also want to caution you because sometimes you think because you pick someone who has a big name, that you’re automatically going to be like, “They’re going to be so impressed with this. I got the chief of surgery to write me a letter of reference or this physician or whoever it is.” The reality is the references are not going to get you into CRNA school.

They can break you but they’re not going to get you into CRNA school. Don’t focus as much on the big names as much as how well they know you because even if it’s a big name, if they said they’d do a letter of reference and they don’t truly know you and can’t speak to your ability, it’s not going to do you any good probably. Think about that. Make sure you ask people who truly know and can speak to your ability and who can highlight who you are as a person. Again, they should be people that you work with closely on a routine basis. That is covering who to ask.

How To Do It

Now, let’s go into how because I’ve had students say, “Jenny, I want to go into CRNA school quickly but I just started. I’m starting orientation. Is it too soon to ask for a lot of references?” Probably a little too early. If you’re still on orientation, I would not be asking for letters of reference, even if you want to apply to CRNA school relatively quickly. Now, that being said, I would embrace your time as a new ICU nurse. I don’t see anything wrong with applying to CRNA school as soon as possible.

I have one of my best girlfriends and fellow CRNA who applied to CRNA school with just six months of ICU experience and she did get accepted. By the time she started her program, she had met the one-year minimum, and she’s an excellent CRNA. With that being said, she was extremely teed up to do so. She planned well and thought ahead, and that was her goal all along. She probably waited until she had right about five months of ICU experience to ask for that letter of reference.

I also want to go into how I want to caution you by waiting until the last minute to ask for a letter of reference. We’ll get into that a little bit more. How? Essentially, you want to plan ahead because you can have ideas of who you would want to ask, and get to know them even more. Not that I like the term butter up, but why not? You should go above and beyond. Whoever you think you may be asking whether that’s an attendee, offer to do literature research for them. What are they working on? Show that you’re there to learn, ask questions during reports, and be very proactive in your nursing and your approach to how you interpret their education.

Ask for them to teach you. If you go up to them on a routine basis and try to learn more about your patient’s disease process and why they prescribed certain medications, they’re going to take notice. 4 or 5 months down the road, when you do ask for a letter of reference, they’re going to be excited to do that for you because you have expressed, shown interest, how they can help you, and the fact that you were invested in your own education.

Now, I’m not trying to say that in a way so you do it for show. I truly think you should embrace that entire mindset and approach to being a nurse and CRNA but think about it ahead of time. That way, you can be more proactive about who you are going to for guidance because those would be the people you would want to ask for references down the road. You will be displaying to them that you’re an active learner and you’re excited about what you’re doing or being an ICU nurse.

Letters Of Reference: Most people are busy, including yourself. Therefore, it is not appropriate to ask for a letter of reference so close to the deadline.

Those are some things to think about as far as the how. I also think as far as how, you need to be making sure you’re giving these people enough notice. If your application is due in a few weeks, it is not appropriate to ask for a letter of reference with only a few weeks to go. Most people are busy, including yourself.

Think about what you would want people to ask you, and if someone were to come to you for a letter of reference, how much time would you expect them to give you? Would you be at the drop of a hat and be able to write a letter of reference, especially if you’ve never done one before? No. It could be even sometimes intimidating for someone to ask you for a letter of reference because now they’re like, “I would love to but I don’t even know where to start.”

That’s what I think too. Give them some guidance. Show them what the school requires by verbatim. Show them what you’re expected to have from them and then provide them some guidance. Maybe write them some of your accomplishments, some of the things you’re proud of, and things that you have been actively working towards. Give them some insights, so they have some beef to go with. What I like to get from the letters of reference that I have done is I ask for their resume. That’s pretty straightforward.

Provide your resume and personal statement because they can use these things to help them like, “That’s cool that they do this.” They can add that in their reference statement. Give them some background, even if they know you because you’ve been proactive on the unit asking questions. They still don’t probably know exactly who you are unless they’re your dad. Give them some beef as far as who you are as a person so they get to know you more on a personal side by providing a resume as well as a personal statement for your graduate program.

Those are two things you can do to help you. I had students tell me that when they asked for letters of reference, they were told, “You write it for me and I’ll sign off on it.” First of all, I don’t like this. However, it happens pretty frequently from my experience. The program faculty that I have shared this with also do not like that. However, we can’t fix what people are asking for and their expectations. What I want to caution you on is that possibly may not be the right person to ask, in my humble opinion.

If they can’t be willing to get to know you by your resume or personal statement to write you a letter of reference and they expect you to do it for them- It says to me that maybe that’s not the right person. Take it for what it is. I’m not saying you don’t do it if that’s your only option. However, it may be that maybe you should try to get some other people possibly. If you were to do your own letter of reference, utilize the same techniques. Resume, personal statement, highlight your abilities and outline in a very concise one-page format why you would be a good applicant for their program.

I also would encourage you that if someone were to come back and say that to you, to at least ask them to give some of their personal insight and maybe spell it out for them like, “Answer these three questions about me. Can you incorporate these three questions about me into this personal reference that I will then write for you?” That’s my recommendation. That way, there’s some personal touch other than from you because the last thing you want is to have these programs potentially notice that it wasn’t written by someone else. Be careful with that.

That goes into the how and the timing of it. I would say, on average, give them at least 2 months, maybe 3 prior to the deadline of your application. Don’t forget and don’t be unwilling to abort. If someone is dragging their feet and you’ve reminded them and they’re dragging their feet, ask someone else. The last thing you want to do is miss your deadline because you’re waiting on your letter of reference.

Another thing too that you can do is ask for a letter of reference, then a few days or a week later, give them a Starbucks gift card for $5. Buy him a coffee and say, “Thank you for writing me a letter of reference. It means a lot. I appreciate it.” What you’ve done to their brain, they’re like, “Thank you. Now that you did something kind for me, let me do something kind for you back. You asked me to do this. I said I would and you reminded me. I got to do this and you were sweet about how you thanked me for my time, so I’ll go ahead and get this done for you.”

• Nursing CAS

Sometimes, it takes a little bit of extra incentive to push people to action. Hence, what we do inside the CRNA School Prep Academy all the time and it works wonderfully is to give him a little bit of extra incentive to do things. Don’t forget about that as well. Let’s cover Nursing CAS , which stands for Centralized Application System. There is one big red flag that I want to point out with Nursing CAS. There’s probably more but this one stands out to me because I came across this in our Facebook community. I was like, “I need to share this because how awful.”

Letters Of Reference: Provide your personal statement so they can know you better. Even if they always notice you, they still don’t probably know exactly who you are.

I wouldn’t even say half the programs use Nursing CAS but a good amount use it. Maybe 30% of programs, 40% or around there. Not half but it’s becoming a more popular system to submit letters of reference and application materials. One thing is they do offer professional transcript entry, which essentially means that they do it for you. They take all your transcripts. If you have five transcripts and they enter all that data for you versus you doing it and potentially making a mistake.

The cost is, I think someone said, $95 to have them do it. Here’s the catch. First of all, it’s not refundable and it takes ten business days from the time they receive all of your transcripts. If you have several of them, you don’t get them in right away, and they come in weeks at a time, they’re not going to start the process until they’ve received everything. From there, it’s ten business days or two weeks to complete then you have to review and verify what they did. After that, there’s a two-week submission period.

Two weeks after they gain all your transcripts, then you have to review what they did and confirm, then there’s a two-week submission period. That right there, even if you reviewed it from the day they sent you that email, that’s one solid month at minimum that it would take after they get all of your transcripts to submit your transcripts to your school.

What happened to the student? She had a month prior to her deadline. She did this but by the time she got all of her transcripts in there and started doing it, she realized, “I’m not going to make my deadline anymore.” She ended up having to do it herself anyways and they would not refund her money. Word of caution, if you’re using Nursing CAS, plan ahead and be prepared for that.

Other Submission Methods

Let’s go into other methods of submitting letters of reference. It says something that more than half of the programs don’t even use CAS. Some schools are old school and they want a paper submission, meaning some schools would literally have you print out a reference form. Hand it to someone. They have to check all the boxes and have them physically mailed in. This is how I did it back in the day. It seemed like so long ago but it’s crazy how much things have changed in a short period of time. The way I did it was you had to obviously give them a piece of paper. They had to check all these boxes, then they had to write a letter for you, print it out, and put it in an envelope that I stamped and addressed to the admissions program office.

Physically, if you had to send it somewhere, then you put it in double envelopes. I personally gave it to them at work because I worked with these people. I had to make sure it was already going to a pre-stamped addressed envelope, so there was very little work for them to do after they got that done. Keep that in mind. Some schools will physically email the person doing your reference.

We’ll physically email them from their college admissions program and seek the letter of reference that way through their own form, then there’s Nursing CAS. The other thing about Nursing CAS too, is whoever does your letter of reference has the option to allow you to reuse that reference for other programs. Tell them and ask them. I know I’ve used it a few times and it’s easy to miss that button. If you don’t click that little button before you hit submit, then you can only use that reference for that one school. It could be nice to be able to reuse references.

The catch and what I want to warn you about is whoever is writing your letter of reference, specifically the names of the school that you’re applying to, might ask you, “Where are you applying to school?” They may specifically say, “I think there’ll be a great candidate for the X, Y, and Z program.” You don’t want to reuse that letter of reference anyways because it will look unprofessional to submit a letter of reference that has a different school name on it. Keep that in mind.

These are things you have to let your person know that are doing the letters of reference for you. The other option is if they have it typed up in a word document, they can send it to you. You can modify the school name, then you would do it for them.

In some schools, you can submit your letter of reference and so therefore you would submit it. Some schools will email the person to do it themselves. As long as they have a state on their computer, they can update the school name, but you have to let them know. “I need another letter of reference and it’s this program this time. Can you please submit this next letter of reference?”

Letters Of Reference: Getting involved is a great way to be. It shows that you’re not just invested in yourself but in others and what the program has to offer.

Do These Letters Matter?

It’s not a big deal to resubmit more references once you already have the main reference done. Keep that in mind as well. It could be snail mail, via the school’s own form, or Nursing CAS. Those are the three that I have encountered. I talked already a little bit about when and how you want to plan ahead for that. Let’s get into how much it matters for letters of reference. What I have been told by program faculty is it can’t make you, but it can break you.

98% to 99% of people who submit letters of reference are going to be good unless you’re a bad picker and you think, “They love me,” and they’re like, “I don’t like that person. Sure, I’ll write her a letter of reference.” Hopefully, you’re not picking people like that, but that goes maybe to show that you’re missing something and you’re not reading someone well. If someone doesn’t like you and you ask them for a letter of reference, there’s something that you’re missing as far as interpreting who you are, how you react, and how your relationship is with someone. That could be a big red flag to a program.

If you submit a letter of reference and it’s a bad letter of reference, they’re going to be like, “Clearly, you do not understand this person who has it out for you.” Most people, for the most part, have good letters of reference. Most people are not going to write you a bad letter of reference. Keep that in mind, as far as it’s not going to make you but it could break you. Again, as far as how much it matters, it’s not going to gain you acceptance from the program. You still have a lot of other things they look at and assess and score you on as far as an applicant, but they do matter, and they are important.

Make sure you’re picking the right person. I’ve had students ask me a lot, “Jenny, what if I submit extra references? Would that help me?” Sometimes, they kill themselves and get ten references.” First, if you’re the typical applicant, you probably don’t need to be doing this. It’s probably going to be a waste of your time but let me embrace getting extras and when that would be appropriate. Now, of course, if you have someone who knows you and has been your mentor. Maybe it’s a neighbor who’s a CRNA or someone that, again, you’ve built this relationship with that you’ve job shadowed several times or whatever, get an extra letter of reference.

I’m not telling you not to do that, but maybe 1 or 2 extras, not 10, as far as when this comes into play. I had a program faculty tell me that we had a student who was trying to gain admission to CRNA school. She has been rejected from two different interviews. She’s a good student and going to make it. I know she will, but she’s doing everything and anything to help them.

One of the biggest factors that are probably hindering her is her GPA. She’s doing all the right things. She’s making up for it. However, she still didn’t get an interview. She showed up at an AANA faculty meeting. Not too many people do that. That’s amazing. Of course, I’m speaking about her to everyone who’s coming to my table at this event because I’m like, “One of our students is here. This is so cool.” One of the program faculty people even said, “Is she applying to my program? We want her. That’s amazing.”

I told them how she didn’t get an interview. They’re like, “Oh.” I’m like, “I think it’s her GPA.” They’re like, “What you can do is you can write her an extra letter of reference and speak to her and how she’s coming to these events and how she’s engaged in the community. That would serve her well.” I had a student who I’ve been mentoring for over a couple of years now who had been rejected from CRNA school. He gained acceptance. I shouldn’t break the news. I’m not going to even say who it is, but I’m so excited for him. I did write him a letter of reference. I spoke to how he was showing up within our community and coming to events that we were doing.

He did everything. I’m going to bring him to the show. Extras can play into potentially being beneficial, especially for the applicants who have something in their past that may be hindering them otherwise. Keep that in mind. Connect with the community. I speak it and preach it all the time, but it’s so important. Getting involved is a great way to be.

It shows that you’re not just invested in yourself. You’re invested in others, and the programs want people who are invested in the community and how they can give back. That’s where extras can play into the picture. I hope you enjoyed this episode. It was fun to do. I hope you’re all having a wonderful day. We will see you for another episode. Thank you so much.

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