CRNA Fulltime-- How do you survive??

skipaway · Aug 11, 2007

You use loans, you save, save, save and save some more. You work lots of overtime prior to applying. You have your debts paid off before going back to school. You then live under your means for the time you're in school and give up things you don't need..ie...cable tv, a new car, a long distance vacation, eating out.

dfk, RN, CRNA · Aug 11, 2007

Hey everyone,
I am interested in becoming a CRNA and have been looking at the CRNA programs in Florida. Every program states that the intense program is fulltime and that working is not recommended. My question is how are CRNA students surviving then? I can understand the tuition part because that is what loans and scholarships are for but I am concerned about everything else, like rent, mortgage, gas, food, etc. How is that all being taken care of ? Any future or former CRNAs advice/solutions would be appreciated.
hopeful84

umm, exactly what you said. unless you saved a bunch while working, or have a rich uncle, loans are it. some do work part-time while in the didactic portions, but very few will work during the clinical portions. i wouldn't worry too much about taking out loans, as long as you get as much federal money first, then private loans thereafter. crna salaries should have no issue affording payments.

FlGasman · Aug 11, 2007

Hey everyone,
I am interested in becoming a CRNA and have been looking at the CRNA programs in Florida. Every program states that the intense program is fulltime and that working is not recommended. My question is how are CRNA students surviving then? I can understand the tuition part because that is what loans and scholarships are for but I am concerned about everything else, like rent, mortgage, gas, food, etc. How is that all being taken care of ? Any future or former CRNAs advice/solutions would be appreciated.
hopeful84

The school makes a lot of loans available, there are alos loans available outside of school. Some students have signed contracts wich brings up to 30 k to the table. Save a little, credit cards, rent your house out move to a small apartment. Cut back a little. everyone has the same problem. Only 1 person in our program works part time and that person is at the bottom of the class. I suppose its okay to work on breaks (1 week at a time) but I need the breaks personally.

ready4crna? · Aug 11, 2007

Hopeful- there are plenty of threads on this subject, but essentially survival is like all things in life, planning. Eliminate debt as much as possible- Credit card, car payment, etc. Learn to live on approx 20,000 a year, save up for your expenses before school. Don't plan on having ANY extra money for a lifestyle. That way, when you do have some cash, it makes it sweeter. And if all else fails, marry someone to support you;)

japaho41 · Aug 11, 2007

If you are still alittle ways out from starting your program or just in the planning phase figure out what your monthly budget is, look at ways you can cut things out and other ways of changing your current lifestyle. Come up with a budget and a total dollar amount that you will need for the entire program. I always take the max amount in loans that they will give me which gives me extra money to live on. Even with the amount of money that you are allowed to take out federally you can come up short because the max amount is $18,000/yr. So if your needs are over an above this you need to look at taking personal loans or relying on what you have saved. My advice is to figure this out prior to starting because you don't want to worry about where the money is going to be coming from each semester. Many programs will be asking you in an interview what you have done to prepare financially to start this journey.

mmc-rockstar · Aug 12, 2007

LOL:loveya:

hopeful84 · Aug 17, 2007

Thank you skipaway,dfk,FlGasman,ready4crna?,japaho41, and mmc-rockstar,

Thank you all for your comments and opinions. I will take all of your ideas into consideration and plan very carefully for crna school!

hopeful84