If you could be accepted anywhere...where would it be and why?

[Crossfit SRNA2b]

Basically the title says it all. Im curious why people apply to the schools that they do.

Now i always hear the generic responses, "go where you fit in" and "someplace where you would like to live"(actually not a bad one) but how do you know if you will fit in before you even apply and interview at the place?

I also have heard about how you want to find a school with great clinicals (ie. all crna practice rotations, good regional/block xp, no resident competition etc...)

How do you gleam this information? From current and former students? The PD?

My top schools are

#1 KPSAN -look it up if you dont know the abbreviation

a. 5th or 6th ranked program (ya i know us news is biased but currently it is the only form of comparrision)

b. only costs 26 k for the entire program

c. is only 24 months long

d. have talked to current and former students and all only have GREAT things to say about it

#2 VCU

a. top ranked program for sometime now

b. offers a DNap

c. has a good patient simulator

d. conducts a crisis scenarios event in which other srna's travel to to experience

e. never been to virginia, would be a fun xp in a beautiful-looking place

#3 Barry U

a. Located in miami

b. gets around 3 times the number of required cases by grad

c. has a very high first time pass rate

d. did i already say its in miami?

So those are some reasons for some of my top schools, what are some of yours?

honorable mentions; duke, u of pitt, and im blanking on a few others

[Jdog19s]

I like the idea of VCU, but my wife wouldn't move south. It was only NE schools as options for me, so Northeastern University ranked highest on the list and had some great hospitals to offer for experience. I heard rumor that Barry University accepts a lot of students, but I also heard the fail out rate is pretty high- maybe because its in Miami ..again, that was just a rumor and I have no evidence to back it up.. but its important to know what percent of students starting each school actually finish. Goodluck- they all get you to the same place in the end :)

[Class2011]

You are going to live at the hospital and in your room or library studying. The only locations I would focus on are clinical sites. And I would try my best to get a true idea of the quality and quantity of clinical experience. Yes, cost, timing, moving expenses all matter, but nothing compares to the importance of having good clinical experiences. Talk to students at the various programs and develop a rapport so that they will, hopefully, be truthful.

[RN1980]

uab, lsu, ut-memphis, ut-chat. mainly based off logistics to my home base of operations. plus i personally have many crna fishing buddies who have graduated from each program with some recently, and its always a plus to get some inside scoop on things.

[Crossfit SRNA2b]

LSU for in-state tuition is a great deal!

RN 1980 im curious what things have you heard about UT-chat and memphis that would have you leaning towards them?\

jdog-

Ya i think you are right about Barry, their attrition rate is a little high, but their first time pass rate is even higher! i think close to 100 percent for the last two graduating classes. However, if you dont graduate you dont become a crna period. I would most likely opt for a school that will work with the occasional struggling student.

[RN1980]

mainly locality for me, meaning im from central mississippi. ut-memphis has one draw back for me cause its a doctrate program now. im really not to interested in extending my schooling for that. ut chat is regular 27month program and its only a few hrs away.