How did you pay for CRNA school?

linnusik · Nov 22, 2011

Im in CRNA school right now, and basically , when I worked I saved up money to pay for school. Save as much as you can! honestly i am almost loan free, and i still have to watch every penny. CRNA school is expensive 50-100k depending on where you go. I took a loan from my hospital for about 20k that is forgivable if i get a job with them after graduation but that isn't a for sure thing, but thats really the only loan i took. Most students in my class didn't save and took loans/financial aid, you do what you have to get by, even those people who have families...thats just because CRNA school is worth it. I am almost done with my first semester and couldn't be happier!

johnnyarei · Nov 22, 2011

A friend of mine recently graduated from CRNA school. She worked her butt off! Lol. While working as a nurse, she used to work 6 days a week (12 hour shifts) as an RN - sometimes 7 days. In 3 years, she was able to save $90,000. I was hard, but she finished CRNA both loan free and debt free!

YGPHNM · Nov 23, 2011

you're saying she worked and attended crna school? thats amazing!

linnusik · Nov 23, 2011

i have a perdeim job that i still keep now that I'm in school, but I've worked maybe 3 days in the semester. Its really almost impossible to work while you're in school, the amount of studying and time needed to succeed in school is sooooo much more than what nursing school required. It really is overwhelming. I know they tell you you shouldn't work in school and thats because ITS REALLY ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. We have 5 classes this semester and 19 units, i am literally up every day at 5 even my days off to get started on studying. When you do have a free day here or there, its really a miracle and honestly the last thing i really want to do is go wipe ass cheeks with c-dif patients and deal with onry withdrawing alcoholics that shouldn't have been drinking in the first place but they suck so they do..... Its a balancing act, there are only a few people who work in my class, and definitely only once in a blue moon like for the holiday weekends and all that. SAVE AS MUCH MONEY AS YOU CAN NOW, WORK AS MUCH OVERTIME AS YOU CAN, IT SUCKS LIVING ON FINANCIAL AID, ALSO LOOK FOR ANY GRANTS OR SCHOLARSHIPS YOU CAN APPLY FOR! i didn't really take the grants seriously because i felt like i didn't have enough time to write a paper, but some people in my class got 2000$ + from this. Hope this helps.

johnnyarei · Nov 23, 2011

@YGPHNM - She saved before going to CRNA school. She worked/saved for 3 yrs beforehand. However, she did work PRN (Usually 1 day per week).