Finishing up my first year of CRNA school. Ask me anything!

[SRNA1221]

These posts were extremely helpful when I was in the process of applying to school and wondering what to expect. I'd be happy to return the favor and answer any questions one might have.

[ASUdevil]

Hey SRNA1221, congrats on finishing up your first year. Any advice on study strategies? I’ll be starting my integrated program this summer and curious to see how people manage the vast amount of material. Also, would you recommend a MacBook vs a pc laptop? Or do most student use an iPad with note ability? What do you find most students have success with for day to day management of your studies?

[SRNA1221, BSN]

10 hours ago, ASUdevil said:

Hey SRNA1221, congrats on finishing up your first year. Any advice on study strategies? I’ll be starting my integrated program this summer and curious to see how people manage the vast amount of material. Also, would you recommend a MacBook vs a pc laptop? Or do most student use an iPad with note ability? What do you find most students have success with for day to day management of your studies?

Learning to study is definitely a difficult task in itself. The first couple of weeks you will feel overwhelmed and wonder if you can do it. We refer to this as imposter syndrome. The huge amount of material is overwhelming, but doable. I was killing myself trying to read and prepare for each class while studying material previously covered. I gave up on reading before class. I shifted my focus towards studying what was covered specifically in class and used the readings to supplement concepts that I had trouble grasping. This has worked for me thus far.

I use a MacBook and an iPad with an Apple Pencil. I HIGHLY recommend an iPad with notability. Especially if you own a MacBook. It makes transferring presentations to your iPad simple with airdrop. I wouldn't necessarily suggest an iPad Pro if you already own a Macbook or plan on getting one. I had already purchased a MacBook and couldn't justify the price difference, so I went with the regular iPad and it has worked great. Notecards and quizlet are also extremely helpful. Best of luck in your program!

[SRNA-2020]

Hi!

I was hoping to get some input/recommendations from current students on a few topics before starting a CRNA DNP program in North Carolina later this year!

1. Do you recommend using student health insurance associated with the program/university or are there other private options that are better/cheaper?

2. I've completed the FAFSA form and applied for the FELS but am wondering if there is anything else that might be helpful to apply for or look into before starting? Any notable grant/scholarship opportunities out there that current students received/recommend? Best/cheapest loan options?

I would appreciate any useful advice from a financial perspective. Thanks!

[SRNA1221, BSN]

On 1/11/2020 at 9:05 PM, SRNA-2020 said:

Hi!

I was hoping to get some input/recommendations from current students on a few topics before starting a CRNA DNP program in North Carolina later this year!

1. Do you recommend using student health insurance associated with the program/university or are there other private options that are better/cheaper?

2. I've completed the FAFSA form and applied for the FELS but am wondering if there is anything else that might be helpful to apply for or look into before starting? Any notable grant/scholarship opportunities out there that current students received/recommend? Best/cheapest loan options?

I would appreciate any useful advice from a financial perspective. Thanks!

Hi SRNA-2020,

I apologize for the late reply. Spring semester just began in full swing. I am fortunate to have my insurance through my spouse, so I can't recommend any advice on that aspect.

As far as additional financial assistance, it is sporifice. I received a scholarship through my program that totaled around $800. It was much appreciated, but barely put a dent in my tuition. As far as loans go, myself and all of my classmates have just taken out federal loans. We've heard from previous students that it's best to wait and transfer to another loan servicer/company after graduation. My best advice is to pay off as much debt as you can prior to starting and have an emergency fund at the very least.