Nurse Practitioner Programs with no GRE

Many online Nurse Practitioner (NP) schools do not need GRE scores for admission, and those that do may waive this requirement for suitable candidates. This includes online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs with an NP concentration, online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs, and online post-graduate certificate programs that provide training and teaching in an NP concentration.

While the GRE is utilized by certain admissions committees to evaluate the academic credentials of candidates, graduate schools in nursing also examine a candidate’s undergraduate GPA, professional references, clinical experience, and nursing license as part of their admissions process. Many online NP programs employ these and other measures to evaluate candidates in place of the GRE, while schools that need the GRE may waive it for applicants with extensive professional experience and/or a record of past academic distinction as shown by their cumulative grade point average (GPA).

GRE and NP Program Entrance Requirements for Nurse Practitioner Programs with no GRE

The Graduate Records Examinations General Test (GRE) is one of many standardized examinations that many graduate schools utilize to evaluate candidates’ verbal and mathematical skills. This comprises a subset of graduate nursing schools that provide training and teaching in the Nurse Practitioner (NP) specialization. However, admissions committees have access to various evaluation techniques, and graduate nursing schools may also consider other variables when selecting acceptable students.

Many graduate nursing schools, including online Nurse Practitioner Programs with no GRE, do not require candidates to submit GRE scores and instead evaluate applicants based on other characteristics. An active and unencumbered state-issued RN license is required for admission to online NP programs. This indicates that the applicant has successfully completed an accredited training program in nursing, participated in several hundred hours of supervised clinical work, and passed the National Council of State Boards of Nursing’s NCLEX exam.

Additional Requirements

In addition to a copy of their RN license, applicants are typically required to submit their undergraduate transcripts and transcripts from any post-baccalaureate programs they have attended. Applicants may also be required to submit multiple letters of recommendation, a personal goals statement, and/or a professional resume or CV.

GPA Requirement for Nurse Practitioner Programs with no GRE

Some schools may favor candidates with a minimum undergraduate or graduate GPA of 2.75, 3.0, or higher on a four-point scale. In addition, there are programs that require candidates to have at least one year of RN experience. In place of the GRE, online NP schools frequently consider these variables throughout the admissions process.

There are online NP programs that require candidates to provide GRE results, however some of these schools may have waiver procedures that enable students who satisfy specific requirements to apply without submitting GRE scores. GRE exemptions are often granted to candidates with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above and/or individuals with many years of verified RN experience. GRE waivers may not be automatic or guaranteed; candidates to online NP programs who qualify for a GRE waiver must often seek to have the GRE requirement waived and may be required to submit GRE results if a waiver is denied but they still intend to apply to the program.

GRE Requirements by Type of NP Program

There are various unique kinds of online NP programs, with varying entrance criteria for each. RNs interested in becoming NPs may qualify for one or more of the following online NP programs:

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NP-Specialized Online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Programs

Some MSN schools include one or more NP specialities in addition to general instruction in advanced practice nursing, leadership and organization management, health policy, and healthcare technology. These programs require applicants to have a valid, unencumbered RN license. Depending on the program’s structure and curriculum, online MSN schools with an NP concentration may also accept RNs with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree and/or an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or hospital-based nursing diploma. Some of these schools need the GRE, while some do not, and others grant candidates GRE exemptions.

Graduate Certificate Programs Online with an NP Concentration

These non-degree programs are intended to enable RNs who have previously earned a master’s or doctorate degree with training in an NP speciality. Typically, these programs are intended for MSN and DNP graduates who want to add a new NP speciality. Certificate programs often do not need GRE scores, relying instead on MSN/DNP program transcripts and professional references to evaluate candidates. This is due to the fact that applicants to certificate programs have previously been admitted to graduate degrees.

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Programs Available Online

These programs end in the awarding of a doctorate in nursing and include advanced training and teaching in executive leadership, healthcare systems management, evidence-based nursing practice, and patient care technology. There are two primary kinds of programs for RNs seeking to become NPs while getting their DNP: BSN-to-DNP and MSN-to-DNP with a new NP specialty. In certain BSN-to-DNP programs, students receive an MSN and are certified as NPs before finishing the DNP curriculum. In other programs, students get solely a DNP.

MSN-to-DNP schools

MSN-to-DNP schools that offer the new NP speciality combine DNP coursework with a post-NP master’s certificate program. ADN-to-DNP programs exist, although they are uncommon and may require RNs to have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing in addition to their ADN. Depending on the kind of program and the needed level of education for admission, online DNP schools may or may not require the GRE; however, many online DNP programs do not require MSN graduates to submit GRE results.

Specializations of Online NP Programs and GRE Requirements

The NP designation is a subset of the wider category of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), which also includes Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs), Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs), and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), in addition to NPs. There are NP specializations, and online NP schools provide both general advanced practice training and NP specialty-specific instruction. NP specializations include Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP)

Through online MSN, DNP, and graduate certificate programs, RNs may get professional training in the NP specialities indicated above. While choosing a specialization is an important aspect of becoming a nurse practitioner (NP) and can have significant career ramifications, it is typically not a determining factor in whether or not a program requires the GRE for admission, and there is little correlation between GRE policies and NP specializations among online master’s, post-certificate, master’s and doctoral programs.

Further reading: Nurse Practitioner Online Programs

15 Nurse Practitioner Programs with no GRE

These are a list of Nurse Practitioner Programs with no GRE

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