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What You Need to Know About Writing a Nursing School Application Essay
Part of enrolling in a nursing study program is submitting a powerful application that includes a nursing school essay. In this document, an applicant showcases their interest in nursing and why they are a good candidate for the course. You discuss your interests, goals, and experiences that led you on the path and how the course fits into your plans.
Writing an essay for nursing school is sometimes challenging for students. Thus, we have compiled some great steps to guide you to a good-quality essay.
- Understand the Prompt
An admission essay should be an answer to a prompt. Some institutions provide a single prompt, while others let you choose from multiple nursing school essay prompts. So, read each prompt carefully and pay attention to any particular questions or guidelines about what they want from you.
- Brainstorm
Reflect on your past encounters, goals, and motivations in relation to nursing. Why did you choose the field? What are your future goals in the field? Also, consider your academic achievements, relevant skills, and personal experiences you’ll include in the nursing school entrance essay.
- Create an Outline
An outline helps you arrange your ideas logically and ensure your work answers all the necessary nursing application essay questions. Another pro to having a plan is that it lets you keep the narrative flow within a small word count. (The standard admission essay for nurses is 300-500 words long.)
- Write the Essay
The nursing school application essay should focus on what made you want to become a nurse. Aim to include the following:
- The reasons behind your interest in nursing with examples that show your interests.
- Your reasons for choosing that specific institution/program.
- Your visions and goals for your nursing career.
- Your academic achievements, including GPA, relevant coursework, awards, and honors.
- Relevant clinical experience, for example, volunteering and internships.
- Relevant skills, e.g., problem-solving, leadership, and any certified clinical skills.
- The relevant traits that make you suitable for the program.
Including the above information convinces the selection board of your qualifications, inspirations, and suitability for the course. However, you need to arrange the information into the correct structure.
The Best Nursing School Admission Essay Structure
Proper layout helps make your copy easy to read and follow your ideas. Essays for nursing school application should follow a simple format consisting of an introduction, body section, and a conclusion. Each section plays a key role in the document, so here is a breakdown of what each should focus on.
Introduction
As the first section, a nursing essay introduction aims to grab the reviewer’s attention and introduce the topic of discussion. Start with an opening sentence to capture attention. Then, provide some background information about yourself, including reasons for your interest in nursing. From there, introduce yourself and state the objective of your essay. End the intro with a thesis statement highlighting your chief points.
Body
The body segment comprises your next two to three paragraphs, where you should discuss all your primary points. Use each paragraph to address one main idea and support it with evidence and examples. To avoid too many paragraphs, group your points into categories such as academic achievements, personal qualities, and clinical experience. Ensure the paragraphs are properly connected to improve readability.
Conclusion
The final paragraph of your nursing school admission essay should summarize everything you’ve discussed in the body segment. Then, remind the reader of the thesis statement and highlight why your points are important. The conclusion should only recap the information from the rest of your text; don’t add new information. Finally, close with a statement that leaves an impression on the reader.
