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I have not taken any graduate level courses yet! If I do not get in on the first try (which I'm not getting my hopes up for), then I am going to take more courses to boost the GPA and show them that I can handle graduate-level work. Thanks for your input! :)

Hello! I'm 23 and I've been pursuing my goal of becoming a CRNA since I was 17. The last time I posted in the forum, I was still in nursing school and was precepting in the Neuro ICU. A lot has changed since then! I landed my first nursing job in the Cardiothoracic ICU in a large teaching/magnet hospital. I've learned SO much since I started working there -- I hit the 7 month mark yesterday. I have taken care of ECMO pts, open sternums, seen chests re-entered at the bedside due to tamponade, and much more. I love it! Recently, I introduced myself to the director of the CRNA school which I plan on applying to (she still practices anesthesia in the same hospital in which I work). She let me come and help with their senior anesthesia simulations and told me I could come shadow her in the OR. GPA wise, things could be better. Last 60 hours is a 3.2, and my combined sciences is a 3.5. But I'm hoping that since I know the director of the program, have interacted with all of the members of the interview panel, and acquired a job in CICU, that my chances of getting in are good. I will be taking the GRE this summer, and I will apply to the program in September! Wish me luck!

Yeah I'm certainly leaning towards a certified 2012. And Acuras are very reliable, so I'm pretty comfortable with purchasing a used one. Even with buying a certified 2012, the price drops by about 3-4K.

Thanks! Yeah, I'm not expecting to be able to get any overtime until I've been working for a few months. And I'm also going to get a PRN job! :-)

Yes. Like I said, after all my bills, groceries, car payment, insurance, etc.. I will still have $600 left to save. If I only work one overtime shift each month, I can save $900. Which adds up to about $32,000 total at the end of the 3 years. I could use part of that to pay off what's left of the car loan before I begin grad school. Also, I forgot to mention that I don't have any outstanding student loans. My father was in the armed forces, so my college work was paid for. Do you think the new car is a bad idea?

I was wondering the same thing. I just graduated from a BSN program in Alabama, and I would really like to purchase a new or slightly used Acura TSX. I start my new job on the Cardiothoracic ICU in September, so I was planning on buying one in November/December. For p.m. shift new grads here in Alabama, the after-tax take home pay is roughly $2300 per month. My rent, groceries, cable, power, gas, insurances, etc. all adds up to about $1400, leaving me $900 each month to play with. After the down payment and my trade-in, the monthly note for the Acura is going to be around $275. So, even after the new/used car payment, I can still save $600ish each month. And that's without any PRN shifts on another unit, or overtime. My only concern is that I am going back to CRNA school in 3 years (the nurse manager at the CICU asks that his employees dedicate 2 years of service to him before he will write a letter of rec. Meaning I wouldn't start the program until I've worked for 3 years). Anyways, I would either have to use my savings to pay off the car before I begin the CRNA program, or continue making the payments during the program. I've had my current car since I turned 16, which was 7 years ago. So I would really like to reward myself for my academic accomplishments. Thoughts??

I'll definitely watch out for that! I'm planning on saving a chunk of my check each month so I don't have to borrow as much money when it comes time to stop working & begin the program. Certainly won't want to put a dent in that!

In addition to that, the program that I am applying for allows students to take a graduate-level research course that actually counts towards the required credits in the CRNA program. I plan on taking that one, organic chemistry, and advanced patho.

The unit does receive TBIs.. a lot of MVCs, I've seen several gunshot wounds to the head, etc. I am also applying at 2 CVICUs to keep my options open (I love neuro, but I also have a strong interest in the CV system). And perhaps an SICU. That's a good point. I am definitely willing to relocate, as long as I stay in the Southeast. Thanks for your input. I appreciate it!

Hi there! Thank you for the wishes. Here at UAB, the neonatal ICU is actually the RNICU (regional neonatal ICU), and the neuro ICU is NICU. My apologies, I should have clarified that! Congratulations on the job in CVICU!

Absolutely! This definitely wasn't an overnight decision. It's been my dream to become a CRNA for about 6 years now. I live in Birmingham, Alabama and there are two CRNA schools here (UAB and Samford). Which in a way is good, because I have a better chance of not having to pay out of state tuition. Anyways, she was probably talking about the market here in Bham. Thank you for your advice! Much appreciated!

Hello all! Just joined the site because I am nearing graduation, and would also like some input on CRNA school. A little about me: I'm in my last semester of a BSN program, and I'm currently precepting in the Neuro ICU at a large magnet hospital. Overall everything is going great, and I've spoken to the nurse manager about interviewing for a position in August when I'm officially finished. My plan is to work on the NICU for 1-2 years, and then apply for CRNA school. During those 2 years I intend to acquire my CCRN cert, do some shadowing, become a preceptor, and take an online graduate research course which will count towards my credit hours upon entrance into the program. My 2 primary concerns with being accepted into a CRNA program are: 1) GPA, and 2) the prospective job market for CRNAs. 1) My overall GPA is above a 3.0, but not as high as I would like (due to some poor decisions during my freshman year). That being said, my last 60 hours GPA is around a 3.4, my required sciences GPA (a&p 1 & 2, micro, chem) is a 3.8, and my combined GPA is a 3.6. Hoping the overall GPA won't even be an issue since most CRNA programs only look at the last 60, combined, and sciences. 2) One of my instructors told me that the job market for CRNAs is slowly decreasing,due to the number of students that are exiting the programs and entering the workforce. And that I will likely need to be willing to relocate. I don't feel like my NICU experience (in lieu of cardiac or trauma/burn) will be a hindrance to my eligibility due to the number of patients that have co-morbid traumatic injuries, are being ventilated, and are on cardiac drips. Any thoughts/suggestions? Thanks in advance for your time! :)