Calling All Philly CRNAs!

Hi all,

(FYI: I live in Center City, Philadelphia.)

So I've been doing some hard thinking on going back to school to be a CRNA... I love everything I've heard/read and seen about it, but I'm still hesitant. Right now, my biggest reservation is that I'll drown myself in debt... I went to a very expensive school for my BSN (second-degree), and already spend a significant portion of my paycheck on student loans. I have a really crappy savings (due to the aforementioned loans ), so I'd definitely need help if I were to go back to school. "Help" meaning living expenses, books, courses, the entire shebang.

My questions are:

- What financial aid do programs in the area (Philly) offer? Are some better than others?

- Did you have to take out any alternative loans (loans not offered through the school or federal government)?

- What do you look for in a CRNA program of study that makes it better/worse than others? (Not financial, but still important...)

- After graduation, do you find it difficult to get out of debt? Are there hospitals that help foot the bill for working for them, and does that seem to be a good way to go?

- Understandably, the CRNA programs discourage working during the program... has anyone attempted it / been successful to pull some hours on the side at a hospital? Was this too stressful?

I find that financial stress often outweighs the stress of studying for me... I guess I'm just looking for some insight before I take the plunge and start applying...

I appreciate your responses....