Planning on applying to Nurse Practitioner school? Check out these top 9 things most nurses don’t know about when applying to Nurse Practitioner school:
- Application Fees
- RN License in School State
- GRE testing
- Background Check
- Drug Screening
- Interviews
- Prerequisite Courses
- Thesis Project Outline
- Clinical Work Experience
1. Application Fees
The majority of graduate schools require applicants to pay a fee for application into their program. This “application fee” does not guarantee the applicant admission into the program.
This fee can range considerably from school to school. Some Nurse Practitioner schools have a small application fee of around $10-25, while other schools can cost over $100. Be sure to pay close attention to the application fee for each prospective school.
Most of those applying for Nurse Practitioner school apply to multiple colleges and universities. By doing so, application fees add up quickly and can become very expensive. Before starting the application process for multiple schools, it is recommended to research each prospective school and their application fees. Make a list, plan ahead, and budget, if necessary, to prepare yourself to pay these application fees.
If you are facing financial hardship, you can request an application fee waiver. Most schools offer these waivers for those who qualify specific financial requirements. Contact a school admission counselor for more details regarding application fee waivers.
2. RN License in School State
When applying to Nurse Practitioner programs located outside of your current state, check to see if the school requires you to have your Registered Nurse license in the state where the school is located. In most cases, they will require a valid RN license in the school state.
Schools located in states participating in the Nursing Licensure Compact (NLS), may still require nurses of other NLC states to apply for a new RN license in that particular state.
Allow plenty of time for yourself to obtain an RN license by endorsement in a new state. The majority of schools require you to have the new RN license by a specific date. Plan ahead as this process can be very time-consuming, taking weeks and even months before obtaining an RN license in a new state. Every state has different requirements to apply for a new RN license. For example, additional education courses may be required to meet the state’s RN educational requirement. There may also be additional fees and information required by the state to obtain a new RN license.
3. GRE Testing
Many Nurse Practitioner schools require applicants to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). This exam was developed to assess individuals for their ability to succeed and pass graduate-level courses.
Preparing for and taking the GRE can be costly. Currently, the exam costs $205 to take in the USA, and there may be additional fees such as changing test center locations, late registration, rescheduling, final score reviews, and state taxes. Most test takers spend money on test preparation as well, such as practice tests, study guides, textbooks, and even tutors. Plan ahead and make sure you can account for these expenses.
It is also generally recommended that test-takers study for two to three months prior to taking the GRE. Studying for this test can be very time-consuming, especially for those already working full-time, taking care of family, or involved with big projects. Make sure you can meet school application deadlines while also allowing plenty of preparation and study time for this exam.
Research the potential schools you are applying to and their GRE score requirements. Some schools may even require test scores to be within the last 2-5 years or you will need to retake the exam. Check out this article to learn more about the GRE.
4. Background Check
Nurse Practitioners and students training to become Nurse Practitioners care for and treat patients of vulnerable populations susceptible to abuse and mistreatment. To avoid any risk of endangerment to patients, employees, and students, nurse practitioner schools require background checks for each applicant.
In the process of applying to Nurse Practitioner school, some schools require a background check to be completed as part of the application. Other nursing schools may request the background check to be completed after acceptance into their Nurse Practitioner program.
Be aware of these unexpected requirements to obtain a background check. Background checks can take days or even weeks to process. Start your background check as soon as possible so you can meet the school’s application deadline.
The nursing schools may also require fingerprints from the applicant as part of the background check. This requirement can require you to travel a distance to specific fingerprinting centers. Most of these centers are a form of mail service or post office and can require the applicant to schedule a specific appointment time during their limited business hours.
The applicant often is also responsible for the background check service fees. This fee ranges from $15 to well over $100. Look closely at the details of any background check requirement for Nurse Practitioner school to avoid anything unexpected.
5. Drug Screening
Drug screening is another important requirement for applicants into a Nurse Practitioner school. During the Nurse Practitioner program, students will be working with Nurse Practitioners who prescribe, handle and administer medications that are often abused, such as narcotics and opioids. Applicants abusing substances and medications and fail the drug screen are often turned away from Nurse Practitioner programs to avoid further potential substance abuse.
Like the background check, some schools request the drug screen to be completed as part of the application, and other schools upon acceptance into their NP program. Urine analysis is the most common type of drug screen used for Nurse Practitioner applications. The drug screen tests for a variety of different substances as requested by the school’s NP program. The most common is the 10-panel drug screen. It typically tests for Marijuana, Cocaine, Amphetamine, Opiates, Phencyclidine, Barbituates, Propoxyphene, Methaqualone, Benzodiazepines, and Methadone.
Even though the drug screen can be read immediately, the testing center may not disclose your results to you. Realize it may take time for the Nurse Practitioner school to receive the drug screening results from the testing center. Plan ahead and make sure you can allow enough time for the school to receive your results and meet application deadlines.
6. Interviews
More nurses are applying to Nurse Practitioner programs every year. Because of this, schools are creating ways to filter through the large number of applicants to find the individuals they feel will be the best fit for their school.
Interviewing applicants is a common way to meet and get to know the applicants. For some schools with a significant number of applicants, multiple types of interviews may be required.
Interviewing can be done in a variety of ways. The most popular is in-person interviews. This is where you meet face to face. Another alternative to this is to interview by phone or electronically, such as Skype. This method can be used for convenience for both interviewer and applicant, or if the applicant is applying to a school out of their home state.
Another interview method is a structured “one-way” video interview. This is where applicants record themselves answering questions provided by the NP school. Some schools provide specific questions to applicants ahead of time for the interview. Others provide general ideas and questions for preparation, but the actual questions are only available when self-recording the video.
Keep in my mind the purpose of an interview is to evaluate you and your ability to succeed in the school’s Nurse Practitioner program. Typically the interview will involve questions about your education and job history. They will want to clarify that you understand the role of a Nurse Practitioner. Most schools will also want to know why you want to go to Nurse Practitioner school, including your motivation and future goals.
7. Prerequisite Courses
A Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) is required prior to becoming a Nurse Practitioner. The BSN degree requires classes in nursing, anatomy, physiology, nutrition, statistics, chemistry and microbiology. This education provides the education needed to work as a Registered Nurse and also a solid foundation for the student to begin studying for a graduate degree.
Many nurse practitioner programs require some of these courses to be taken within the last 2-5 years. As time goes by, some of the education and information learned in these classes can be forgotten. Nurse Practitioner schools want their students to be ready to advance their education on day 1 of school. It would be difficult for students to keep up with the class if they are needing to go back to relearn key concepts from bachelor level classes.
The most common classes required to be taken recently are statistics, anatomy, and physiology. Research the school’s requirements and discuss with admission counselors if you need to retake any courses before applying to Nurse Practitioner school.
8. Outline Thesis Project
Many applicants know when they are accepted into a Nurse Practitioner program they will be required to complete a thesis or capstone project as part of their education. What most don’t know, is that some nurse practitioner programs require applicants to outline or draft ideas for their thesis before they are even accepted.
A thesis project is usually the final research project of a graduate degree. It gathers information from other research studies from which the student forms their own interpretation and conclusion, known as their “thesis.”
Generally, a Nurse Practitioner school will have applicants draft ideas for their thesis project and/or narrow down areas of interest for the thesis project as part of their application. Some schools are looking for just areas of interest like cardiology, pediatrics, or orthopedics. Others schools are looking for very specific outlines and ideas for a thesis project, such as increasing early recognition of cardiovascular events in women.
Evaluate the nurse practitioner schools you are possibly applying for and their essay requirements. Keep in mind, this type of essay for your application may take a longer period of time to draft and write.
9. Clinical Work Experience
Many Nurse Practitioner programs believe experience as a registered nurse is highly beneficial to succeeding in Nurse Practitioner school and career. Working as a Registered Nurse gives you first-hand training and experience in caring for patients. It requires one to develop communication skills, time management, and critical thinking skills. It also gives opportunities to work in a leadership role, such as a charge nurse. A nursing background provides a solid foundation to start an advanced degree in nursing practice.
Most nurse practitioner programs require at least some experience working as an RN to be accepted into their program. Not everyone needs a decade of work experience, but even a year in a nursing job helps develop and strengthen clinical skills, time management, and professionalism. In general, one year of work experience is required by most schools. More than a year of working as an RN is often preferred.
If you don’t have at least a year of work experience as an RN and want to apply to NP school, check this article out.
Every Nurse Practitioner school is different. Be sure to research each school prerequisites and application requirements closely. If you have any questions or concerns about your application, contact that school’s admission office.
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