How to Write Nursing School Admission Essay?

It is not uncommon to find that most nursing schools have a long waiting list of candidates seeking admission.  For those interested in becoming nurses, this situation creates even  more pressure to come up with a unique nursing school admission essay, something that will help them stand out from the hordes of nursing aspirants.

Some nursing schools call it a nursing school admission essay, others may call it a statement of purpose, a letter of intent, or a personal essay.  But it all signifies the same thing.  The school just wants you to clarify why you want to become a nurse, what qualities you have that will help you make a fine nurse, and why they should admit you into their nursing program.

Unless you’re interested in research, it is not really your duty to tell anyone in the nursing school something that they don’t know.  After all, they are the professionals who are going to educate you.  Also, your admission essay should  not include a  debate on issues in the nursing field.  The essay  is not about expressing your views but about how you would be successful in their nursing program and by making a great nurse how you would represent their program creditably.

It is most important to accentuate your personal qualities in your admission essay, specially those that are essential for a nursing career.  Since your main duties as a nurse will involve caring for patients and serving their needs, you could include a short story about any experience of  volunteering or about a nurse or patient you met who helped you see  that the nursing field was best suited to you.  Your essay should also show you have the ability to work hard and under pressure, and also learn and obey orders well.

People often have to grapple with problems like going through college with a family and having a full time job as well, which could be the reason for their poor performance in exams. So if you got a low grade or a low GPA during a particular semester due to some specific event that most probably won’t be repeated, then go ahead and tell the nursing school about this. Just be  succinct and don’t try to elicit sympathy.  Remember it will be harder to justify years of getting low grades than just one semester’s poor performance.

At the same time, if there is anything significant that could not be included in the rest of your application, like for example that you are a single mother raising three children, or that you had lost a loved one and that this affected your performance, do provide this information through your admission essay.

In short, let your essay convince the admission committee about your personality, your genuine interest in the nursing profession, and the likelihood of your succeeding in their program and thus make a powerful first impression.  Show them that you’re the ideal candidate for their nursing program and that you will be an asset to their nursing school.