When I was looking into starting nurse practitioner school and what nursing schools I should apply to, I started questioning how many schools. I wanted to attend a good nurse practitioner program but also wanted to make sure I could get accepted to start graduate school soon.
So how many schools should you apply to? The answer is you should apply to several nurse practitioner schools. I applied to four different nurse practitioner schools. Not everyone gets accepted into their top school choice. Your chances of being accepted into a nurse practitioner school are generally higher if you apply to several schools compared to applying to only one nurse practitioner school. There is not an exact number of schools to apply to, but I would recommend applying to 2-4 nurse practitioner schools.
However, this answer also depends on four important questions about you and your goals:
- How do you measure up to the prerequisites of the schools you are wanting to attend?
- How much time and effort can you realistically put into applying to nurse practitioner school?
- How much money are you willing to spend on applications and other related fees?
- How soon do you want to start nurse practitioner school?
How do you measure up to the prerequisites of the schools you are wanting to attend?
After evaluating what nurse practitioner schools you may want to apply to, begin looking at what each school requires as part of their application. Although all these nursing programs will help you get the same degree, each school may have different prerequisites. They may also have the same prerequisite, but require it at a higher standard.
An example of this is your undergraduate GPA. Your transcripts may show you meet the minimum GPA requirement for one nursing school, it may not be good enough for another school. You are more likely to be accepted into the schools which have the lower GPA requirement.
Likewise, take into consideration all of the school’s prerequisites collectively. Just because you may not meet up to one requirement does not necessarily mean the school will turn you down. If you are not meeting up to their standards across multiple prerequisites, then it is time to rethink before applying to that particular school. Certainly, talk with an admissions counselor.
It is important to compare yourself to each school’s prerequisites and ask yourself if you can meet their minimum standards. It may not be worth applying to additional nurse practitioner schools where you have a very low chance of getting accepted.
If you have a specific school you are wanting to go to, consider waiting to apply and taking the time to improve where you are lacking. For example, study and retake the GRE, or keep working and gain more RN work experience so you can better meet their prerequisites. However, if you are anxious to start school, focus your time on schools you know you have a good chance of being accepted.
How much time and effort can you realistically put into applying to nurse practitioner school?
We all have busy lives, involving work, family, friends, and hobbies. Take into consideration how much extra time you can put into your nurse practitioner school applications.
Applying to a nurse practitioner program can be quite a long and time-consuming process. Every school has different requirements for its application, but in general, most schools require:
- Resume
- Transcripts/GPA
- GRE score
- RN license
- References/Letters of Recommendation
- Application Fees
- Application Essays
- Interview(s)
While schools may require similar requirements, each school may require it a little differently. For example, multiple schools may require application essays. However, the essay topic may be different for each school. That would mean for every nurse practitioner school you apply to, you would have to write one or more different essays.
In my experience when applying to nurse practitioner school, I had some schools that asked for similar essay topics while other schools’ essay topics were completely different. For example, one nursing school required a lengthy APA formatted research paper with multiple references on a specified topic. This “essay” took a lot more time than I thought to complete. So keep in mind the more schools you apply to, the more essays you will be writing.
Taking care of a busy family, working full time, or being involved with big projects, can limit the amount of time you can spend on your applications. If you are limited on the amount of time and effort you can put into applying to nurse practitioner school, research which schools’ application require less.
Some may worry that programs with fewer or lower requirements don’t provide a good education, but this is not always true. For example, some nurse practitioner programs do not require the GRE. These schools usually find other approaches such as in-person interviews, undergraduate GPA, or reference letters as a better way to evaluate an applicant for their program. There are other ways to better determine if a school has a good nurse practitioner program, these are:
- Accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
- Nurse practitioner school ranking
- Student passing rates of the credentialing nurse practitioner exam
- Percentage of graduating students who receive jobs and in what areas
- Opinions from professors, employers, coworkers, and even past students
How much money are you willing to spend on applications and other related fees?
Applying to nurse practitioner school requires a lot of your time and effort. It also can be very expensive, especially when you are applying to multiple nurse practitioner schools. There are several fees you should be aware of when applying to a nurse practitioner school.
Most universities and colleges require applicants to pay an “application fee.” This fee does not guarantee you will be accepted admission into their school. The application fee can be very expensive. For some schools, it can be over several hundred dollars!
If you are facing financial hardship, some schools will offer an application fee waiver. Certain requirements may be required to qualify, but it is worthwhile to look into. Talk with a school admission counselor to learn more.
Have you taken the GRE yet? This is another prerequisite that can be very expensive. Just to take the GRE costs $205. Pay close attention if you may need to pay any additional fees such as late registration, changing test center locations, state taxes, or rescheduling the exam.
Many applicants end up spending a lot of money on studying and preparing to take the GRE. Study guides, practice tests, and textbooks can add up very quickly. You may even need a tutor to help improve your GRE score. Keep this in mind if you are needing to take the GRE exam prior to applying to nurse practitioner school. You can also apply to nurse practitioner schools that do NOT require the GRE. Here is a list of schools that do not require the GRE in Florida and California.
While not as common, some schools still require applicants to pay for their own background check and drug screens. Depending on the depth of these tests, they can be as little as $20 to well over $100 for each of these tests.
Be sure to plan ahead and budget for these expenses. Research each school you are looking to apply to and all of their application fees. Plan ahead and add the total amount of application costs from your top schools. If this total is too expensive, consider waiting another year to apply when you have more money or apply to fewer nurse practitioner schools.
How soon do you want to start nurse practitioner school?
When I was ready to apply to nurse practitioner school, I was anxious to start as soon as I could. This meant I was willing to pass up a few schools that I was interested in but had more prerequisites I hadn’t completed yet, such as the GRE.
If you are deciding between which schools you should apply to ask yourself these two questions:
- How soon are you wanting to start nurse practitioner school?
- Could you wait another year to improve your application just to go to a specific school?
In my case, I just wanted to start nurse practitioner school. It was the right timing, I didn’t have any serious or important commitments in my life and I could just dedicate myself to school. The right timing was worth more to me than going to some of the other schools I was looking at.
Work, family, kids, marriage, and even pets can take time away from you going to school. Graduate school is a big commitment. Make sure this is the right time for you to go back to school and don’t pass up on that right time!
On the other hand, for some going to the right school is a top priority. If you would feel more comfortable going to a specific school and can use more time to improve your application, then do it! Plan ahead, set goals, and do all that you can do to qualify for your top school. I recommend closely working with an admission counselor from that school so you can set yourself on the right path.
Each person applying to nurse practitioner school is different. Different goals, different life situations. Make sure you ask yourself what is best for you. That is what will ultimately help you decide on how many nurse practitioner schools to apply to.
We want to hear from you! Comment below and how many schools are you planning to apply to?
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