PENN interview!!!

I know the program is one of the most expensive around, and that is why i did not interview there. Hard to be choosy though, I know.

I know the program is one of the most expensive around, and that is why i did not interview there. Hard to be choosy though, I know.

Expensive it is but the education that one will get there is top notch. It is an ivy league school! It appears as though that does not seem to matter to a lot of applicants. That was a huge factor for me. PENN has many charms. The campus is historical and stately. It is inspirational. That means a lot to me. Anesthesia part is done by Pennsylvania hospital's program and Pennsy is an ideal place to learn anything hands on because it is a small hospital with a lot of the benefits of a large hospital. But hey, I don't have my letter of acceptance yet so I don't want to create a lot of competiotion for myself. I really just want to know I can start this May 2006!!!:)

If you want to go to PENN, and get the prestige of going to an IVY league university, all the more power to you. From my point of view, I just want to get a good education that will help me pass my boards in the end. No job is going to care where I went to school, I can almost guarantee that at this point in time. But I do not feel their education is worth the dime they are charging for it. just my opinion.

How did your Drexel Interview go by the way?

If you want to go to PENN, and get the prestige of going to an IVY league university, all the more power to you. From my point of view, I just want to get a good education that will help me pass my boards in the end. No job is going to care where I went to school, I can almost guarantee that at this point in time. But I do not feel their education is worth the dime they are charging for it. just my opinion.

How did your Drexel Interview go by the way?

I am not sure honestly. All I know is I was super nervous and in my paranoid mind it showed that I was nervous!!! We were told that they'd let us know the week after the interview so that we could start to take courses in January 2006 (like research and pathophysiology) but they are yet to sit down and discuss our group. The interview was November 3rd, today is the 30th. They also made an uncomfortable situation worse. But whatever. We need to be on time for everything but they can take their merry old time. Such is life!!!

On your comment about PENN... I guess I have a different philosophy all together than many other people. To me my education has always meant more than a tool necessary to get me a "job". My job matters but my education is for "ME". I am more important than my job. Me as a person has other facets than just my job. My interactions with people at my job, my interaction with people in my environment, with my kids is what makes me, "ME". I am more than a nurse. OK now I sound very full of myself but yes my EGO needs to be boosted as well as my career. Infact in order for me to grow as a professional I have to boost my EGO to match it. Does it make sense to you? If it doesn't that's allright. Not a lot of people get it!!!

Where did you apply? Did you interview anywhere? What year are you going to expect to start?

My story is a little tumultuous. I started out at the Nazareth program in philadelphia, but then my hospital in Williamsport, PA became a long distance clinical site for Drexel University's NA program, so I switched to there so I did not have to make the move to philadelphia. I will still have to go to philly now and then, but I did not want to move.

When i interviewed for Drexel, I was already accepted into a nurse anesthesia program, so they gave me a personal interview, and I was accepted rather quickly. But others I work with had a group interview, and it was not real bad. I can't really tell you anything about the waiting game. All I can say is sometimes you have to push for them to make a decision, and finally get back to you. Keep hounding them by email and phone until they finally decide.

I am currently taking online classes through drexel (just the bs stuff like research and health promotion). I will start the srna portion in jan.

My story is a little tumultuous. I started out at the Nazareth program in philadelphia, but then my hospital in Williamsport, PA became a long distance clinical site for Drexel University's NA program, so I switched to there so I did not have to make the move to philadelphia. I will still have to go to philly now and then, but I did not want to move.

When i interviewed for Drexel, I was already accepted into a nurse anesthesia program, so they gave me a personal interview, and I was accepted rather quickly. But others I work with had a group interview, and it was not real bad. I can't really tell you anything about the waiting game. All I can say is sometimes you have to push for them to make a decision, and finally get back to you. Keep hounding them by email and phone until they finally decide.

I am currently taking online classes through drexel (just the bs stuff like research and health promotion). I will start the srna portion in jan.

WOW! That is a story! Good luck to you.

Hope all went well in your interview at Penn. I interviewed there and was accepted for May, 2006. My take on the financial cosiderations is this... the program is 24 mos. as opposed to 27 or even 30. So, theoretically, it is 1/4 of a year of receiving a salary(at least that is how I can justify the investment). at least that is my 2 cents. Good luck to you.

Hope all went well in your interview at Penn. I interviewed there and was accepted for May, 2006. My take on the financial cosiderations is this... the program is 24 mos. as opposed to 27 or even 30. So, theoretically, it is 1/4 of a year of receiving a salary(at least that is how I can justify the investment). at least that is my 2 cents. Good luck to you.

Wow! That's great. You must be on cloud nine!!! How long did it take to get your letter from them? Who did you interview with? Who knows, maybe we'll be in the same class.

I just went UPenn web site and found out one year combined tuition and fee is $45,842, so the entire 24 month program costs $91K. That is really high, at least for me. I wonder if this may be the highest amount of cost of all nurse anesthesia programs. I thought a program is already considered costly at $40K.

RNNJ-

They had tolkd me that they get together and discuss the appplicants about every two weeks or so. That being said, I heard within that time period, but i wouldnt get down if you havent heard...no news is good news...I interviewed with the asst. director and the director. keep me posted on your progress and good luck.

The program is on the upper ecehlon of cost, but my understanding is that most of the schools in this area are in the range of 60-70k. Penn's program is 24 months, shorter than most if not all than the programs i've looked into, and that is time that i wont have to go without salary.

U PENN......91K for the education piece....now what about funds to live on? That's another 15-20K a yr.

Total: About 120- 130K for two years of education.

WOW....Too much for my pockets....

Although a Penn education is expensive, I can say it is well worth it. Something most do not know is that Penn does indeed have alot of money to share. For the past fall/spring semesters we received a greater than $10K grant, and I only hope the same occurs next year. This is money that does not need payed back.

Also, for those of you who do not know, Philadelphia area school are going though much transitioning in clinical sites due to the addition of the Jeff and Cooper programs. Penn remains protected form this and is not scrambling for sites to send students.

Lastly, from what I hear, some other Philly schools often have more than one student doing a case in the OR at the same time. This is forbidden at Penn, so all learning/clinical experiences are truely individualized to each student, and there is no "fighting" for experience.

These are just a few of the good things that come to mind about the program. Regardless of where we all go to school I wish everyone the best of luck and look forward to being your future colleague.