Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the requirements for admission? 
A: Applicants to the Nurse Anesthesia program must meet the following qualifications:

• Hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing or a related field from an accredited college or university
• Must be a graduate of an accredited school of nursing
• A minimum of one year of experience in an acute-care setting (2 years is preferred)
• Hold a current RN license in the state of Missouri (if outside Missouri and admission is granted, applicant must obtain current RN license in Missouri before courses begin)
• Current CCRN, BLS, ACLS certification (PALS certification strongly recommended)
• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for undergraduate studies, or evidence of outstanding postgraduate academic achievement
• Have a grade of B or higher on all science courses

                Note: The most competitive applicants will have:

• 1.5+ years ICU experience in adult care

• They will have taken at least two of these science courses and received a grade of B or higher within the last 8 years: Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Bio-Chemistry, and Physics. These courses are not pre-requisites to the program, but rather, strong recommendations
  

  Q: What are the required admissions documents? 
  A: Listed below are the requirements for admission to the Nurse Anesthesia program.

  • Completed application postmarked by October 1
  •  $50 non-refundable application fee
  •  All official college/university transcripts
  •  Resume/CV
  •  Cover letter
  •  Copy of current nursing license
  •  Copy of your BLS, ACLS, and CCRN
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • A letter from your immediate supervisor (nurse manager or director preferred)
  • A letter from a professional (i.e. past instructor, co-worker, etc.)
  • A letter from a CRNA whom you have shadowed (letter should not be written by a medical anesthesiologist)

Q: I am re-applying to your program. Do I need to re-submit all my prior documentation?
A: Students re-applying to the program need to re-submit most of the required documents:

• An application for admission
• Cover letter
• Resume
• Letters of recommendation
• Nursing license
• Current copies of your ACLS, BLS, CCRN and any other continuing education certifications
• Official transcripts for any course taken since last applying to the program. 
  

Re-applicants do not need to pay another application fee or request official transcripts submitted for a previous application year (unless the transcripts are more than 3 years old).

Q:  Where do I send my application materials?
A: All application materials should be mailed to:

Webster University
Office of Admission
Re: MS in Nurse Anesthesia Program
470 E. Lockwood Avenue
St. Louis, MO  63119-3141

For ease, and to ensure that all documents are received, applicants are strongly encouraged to send the bulk of their application materials in one packet, including recommendation letters and official, sealed transcripts.

Applicants whose address or contact information changes after applying for admission should notify the Office of Admission by calling 314-968-7100 or 1-800-753-6765, or emailing tkwitt@webster.edu.  Graduate Admissions communicates with applicants via email, letter, and/or phone numbers provided by the student.  It is imperative that applicants regularly check all forms of communication.

Applicants who have questions concerning the admissions process, their file, and/or the status of documents submitted can contact:

Ms. Thuy K. Witt (first name pronounced “Twee”)
Associate Director
Webster University | Office of Admission
470 E. Lockwood Avenue| St. Louis, MO 63119-3141
tkwitt@webster.edu.

Q: When is the application for admission due and when will I be notified if I am accepted?  
A: The application deadline is October 1 of each year. Letters inviting qualified applicants for an interview will be mailed out by late October. Interviews take place mid December and decision letters will be mailed one week after the on campus interview.

Q: How much does the program cost, and what is included in the cost?
A: Our tuition and fees are outlined on the following link:
http://www.webster.edu/about/facts/tuition.shtml

Q: How many students are accepted per year?
A:We admit 20 students once per year.  A few select applicants are placed on a waitlist should a student have to withdraw from the program for any reason.

Q: Is an admissions interview required?
A: Yes. The Nurse Anesthesia Admissions Committee will conduct a comprehensive review of all applicants who complete their admissions file. Only the most competitive applicants will be invited to take part in an on-campus interview.  

Q: How competitive is the program?
A:Approximately 75 - 100 applicants complete the admissions process per year. The Admissions Committee invites 40-45 of the most qualified applicants to Webster Groves, Missouri, for an on-campus interview.  Twenty students are admitted each year.
 
Q: How long is the program?  
A: Webster’s MS in Nurse Anesthesia program is a full-time, 30-month program. Admitted students begin in August and graduate in March three calendar years later.

Q: Do I have to have a bachelor’s degree in nursing in order to apply?
A: No. Students must be registered nurses, whether through a 2-year, 4-year, or accelerated program.  However, all graduate level applicants must have a prior Bachelor’s degree in any field.

Q: Is the GRE (Graduate Record Entrance) exam required for admission?
A:Webster does not require the GRE for admissions to the MS in Nurse Anesthesia.

Q: Do I have to have a Missouri nursing license in order to apply?
A: No. Applicants who live outside Missouri are not required to have a Missouri license to apply for admission.  All applicants must hold a current license from their state.  Accepted students must obtain an active Missouri nursing license before starting the program. 

Q: Can I submit a shadowing letter from an anesthesiologist to satisfy the CRNA recommendation letter?
A:No. Students are required to submit a verification letter from a CRNA whom they have shadowed. This step demonstrates an applicant’s commitment to pursuing Nurse Anesthesia as a career.

Q: Can a preceptor write the reference letter as the “immediate supervisor”?
A:We prefer that the supervisor have more of an administrative relationship than a potential peer relationship.  A charge nurse would be more acceptable than a preceptor. However, a manager or supervisor is preferred.

 Q: Do you have a form available for recommendation letters?
A:No. We do not accept standardized evaluation/recommendation forms. Graduate level recommendation letters should be written in standard narrative form. Please ask the individuals writing your letters to include your full name on the letter so we can match it to your admissions file. Also, please email us at tkwitt@webster.edu and provide the names of the individuals who will be writing your recommendation letters.

Q: How do I know if I am a good fit for Webster’s Nurse Anesthesia program?
A:Webster’s Nurse Anesthesia program is strongly rooted in the basic sciences, which is why the program resides in Webster’s Department of Biological Sciences.  Students who will be most successful in the program will have a strong and recent (within the last 5-6 years) academic background in courses such as chemistry, physics, organic chemistry, and biochemistry. The most successful students will also have a strong professional background as a registered nurse in an acute care setting, often obtained by working in an ICU.

Q: What is the pass rate of graduates on the CRNA exam?
A: Historically, the first time pass rate for the CRNA exam is 95%.

 Q: My undergraduate cumulative GPA was low, but I did well in my nursing classes.  Should I apply or no?
A:If you have a lower cumulative GPA, it would be necessary to have evidence of strong post graduation work.  We look for a cumulative GPA of a 3.0 in the most competitive applicants. Specifically, the admissions committee seeks grades of B or better in an applicant’s basic science courses. If your science grades were below a B, we would encourage you to repeat some of your basic sciences courses before you apply. 

 Q: How do I obtain CCRN certification?
A:You should contact the American Association of Critical Care Nurses at the website link provided.  http://www.aacn.org/

Q: I have worked mostly in the ER and/or OR. Would I be competitive with other applicants?
A:It is necessary to gain acute care experience in an ICU setting before applying. Competitive applicants will have extensive experience with bedside care and nursing skills based on advanced monitoring principles.

Q: How much time is spent in class and clinicals?
A:Nurse Anesthesia students at Webster follow a 9-week term system. There are five 9-week terms in a calendar year.  For the Webster University Academic Calendar, please see      http://www.webster.edu/academics/calendar.shtml.

Clinical rotations begin approximately 2 months after the first-year students begin the program.  In the first year, students are in class for full days Monday-Thursday with clinicals on Fridays. In the second year, students are in class two days a week with 3 days spent in clinicals.  The last year students have one day of class and 4 days of clinicals. There will also be some on-call hours later in the program.

 Q: Is any of the program completed through online courses?
A:Not at this time.
  
Q: Can students work while they’re in the program?
A:We do not encourage students to work while they are in the Nurse Anesthesia program. Between clinical hours and the academic rigor of the program, students would find it difficult to work.Weekends are usually spared for study and family time.

 Q: Is financial aid available? 
A: Yes.  Students should apply for financial aid simultaneously with their application. Students must complete both the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the Webster University Graduate Financial Aid form, which can be found at the following     
links:

http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/     The code for Webster University is: 002521

http://admissions.webster.edu/admissions/finaid/apply.asp

Financial assistance from Webster University is limited to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are degree-seeking students at Webster. 

We highly encourage students to seek opportunities for outside sources of funding by creating a student profile on www.fastweb.com.

For additional questions or to schedule an appointment with your financial aid counselor, contact the Financial Aid Office at 314-968-6992, or 1-800-983-4623. Comprehensive financial aid information is available at http://admissions.webster.edu/admissions/finaid/.

Q: If I’m accepted and move to St. Louis for the program, does Webster help me with finding housing
A:Not directly, however, Webster’s Department of Housing & Residential Life could provide you with a list of nearby apartments.

 Q: Would I be required to do any clinical work outside of St. Louis?  
A:Yes. Webster has 13 clinical facilities - 4 of which are out of the St. Louis area but within Missouri state boundaries and 1 clinical site which is out of state. Each facility offers a unique set of opportunities. All students are required to do at least one rotation (9-week term) in our rural locations.  

 Q: Is there an orientation before the program begins? 
A: Yes. If accepted into the program you will be mailed an information packet that will assist you through the beginning stages of the program, including orientation information.

 Q: Are transfer credits accepted?
A: No. This is a cohort program, meaning that admitted students each year take their courses in a set rotation that cannot be changed, even if students have completed graduate courses at a different institution.

Q: I was not admitted last year and am re-applying to your program. May I speak with someone about how I can improve my chances for next year?
A: Certainly. It is best to contact the Nurse Anesthesia Program directly via email after the interview process has been completed. If necessary you may schedule an appointment to speak to a committee member. Please contact the Nurse Anesthesia department to follow up with your questions. 

Bethany Geisler
Assistant to the Director
Webster University
Nurse Anesthesia Program
Bethanygeisler47@webster.edu

 Q: Can I schedule a time to meet with a representative to learn more about the program?
A:Absolutely.Students may contact the admissions representative for the program to schedule an appointment.

Ms. Thuy K. Witt (first name pronounced “Twee”)
Associate Director
Webster University | Office of Admission
470 E. Lockwood Avenue | St. Louis, MO 63119-3141
tkwitt@webster.edu
314-246-8239 | 800.753.6765
__________________________________________________________________

Please come for a visit to find out more about our program and our campus.

Many students are interested in learning more about our Nurse Anesthesia program and the field in general. To that end, we offer prospective students the opportunity to attend our All Class Conference (ACC). This Conference is held four times during the academic year, and held from 2:00-4:00 pm in the Emerson Library Conference Room located on our Webster Groves Campus. RSVPs are not required.  Please see the ACC schedule below. 

Location: Webster University Home Campus
Emerson Library - Conference Room
(Location may vary)
101 Edgar Road
St. Louis, MO 63119 

                 *Campus Map: http://www.webster.edu/campusmap/index.html

                 *Emerson Library: http://www.webster.edu/campusmap/librarysver.html

  
Time: 1:30-2:00 pm Pre-All Class Conference (Question and answer session for prospective students)
2:00-4:00 pm All Class Conference                                                                      

Dates: (1st Thursday of the month)

October 4, 2012
December 6, 2012
February 7, 2013
April 4, 2013

For further questions about the All-Class Conference, please contact the Nurse Anesthesia Department at 314-968-5916.