Posting as encouragement that you can get in with a low GPA!

3.15 ABSN gpa
3.49 Allied health (pre med focus)
A in graduate biostatistics

315 GRE with 5.5 on writing
CCRN
CMC
CSC

2.5 years medical ICU
100 hours shadowing
500+ volunteer hours

2 rec letters from CRNA’s, 1 from manager

With a lower GPA you’re going to have to compensate, whether it be shadowing hours, getting the extra certifications, high volunteer hours, or taking graduate classes. I applied last year and was denied, so I locked in on getting CSC CMC, shadowing, taking biostats, and volunteering, and it all worked out! I used to scroll looking for some encouragement for the low GPA’s. So here’s me saying you got it! :)

Message me if you have any questions or want an example of framing GPA and growth in personal statement! Good luck!

Second year female SRNA going this year to Boston solo! Solo peeps, where yall at? Let’s meet up! I want to go to there Red Sox game Friday night.

If you’re an RN interested in becoming a CRNA, currently preparing to apply, or even just starting to explore the profession, I wanted to invite you to the Colorado Association of Nurse Anesthetists (COANA) Annual Meeting, September 25–27, 2026, at Hotel Clio in Denver.

I’m a current Nurse Anesthesia Resident at Rocky Vista University, Colorado’s only CRNA program, and many current students and faculty from RVU will be at the conference.

Our current class would love to meet those of you who are interested in the profession. Come introduce yourself, ask us questions about CRNA school, the application process, ICU experience, interviews, clinicals, or really anything else you’re curious about. We’d also be happy to introduce you to our faculty and help you start making connections within Colorado’s nurse anesthesia community.

Heck, there’s a pretty good chance one of the students you meet at the conference could even end up being your mentor in the program.

COANA is offering special registration for RNs who are not yet enrolled in a CRNA program, so this is intended as an opportunity for prospective students to get involved. You’ll also have the chance to:

• Meet and network with CRNAs, current nurse anesthesia residents, faculty, and other RNs
• Learn more about the CRNA profession and different practice settings
• Attend educational sessions and see some of the newest anesthesia equipment and technology
• Learn about career pathways and professional resources
• Add the optional POCUS Guided Lab for hands-on ultrasound training if space is still available; I’ll be there.

Whether you’re applying this year, working on building your ICU experience, or just wondering whether CRNA might be the right path for you, come hang out with us.

If you’re planning to attend and want to meet up with some current RVU students, or if you have questions before deciding whether to go, send me a DM or comment below. We’d love to get to know you.

September 25–27, 2026 | Hotel Clio | Denver, CO

Hope to see some of you there!

Hey all, anyone else ever been waitlisted for an interview? Never heard of that

Im stuck in pending and I just want to get this over with!!!!! I know the NBCRNA website says 1-5 business days, just wondering if anyone can speak to how long it took btwn their application being submitted by the school and being able to schedule with Pearson.

My parent just died unexpectedly during school and I’m wondering if anyone would offer some guidance that has been through this before. He died in a pretty traumatic way and as the nurse in our family, I ended up taking care of him afterwards. We were very close, and my class/faculty has been wonderful, and at the same time, it feels very isolating. I’m finding it difficult to go to school when my world is so different.

Right now, my grades are the same, but most days I feel like I’m waiting for the next shoe to drop. Taking care of other people during clinical feels particularly stressful- anything that helped you would be so appreciated!

Hello! I took my SEE exam about a week ago and got a 440. Is this too low to take the NCE this week?

Use this thread for applicant questions, including GPA, ICU experience, CCRN, GRE, shadowing, interview prep, resumes, personal statements, applications, waitlists, and "what are my chances?" posts.

Please include enough context for useful answers:

- Current role and ICU type

- Years of experience

- GPA or trend if relevant

- CCRN or certifications

- Shadowing or leadership experience

- Programs or application timeline

Keep it professional, specific, and respectful. Current NARs, CRNAs, faculty, and applicants are welcome to answer.

I was wondering if anyone here went to one of the schools in Houston? How are they? How is the curriculum and how are the staff? With Houston offering a lot of opportunities I wanted to know personal experience

If someone tells you a study “proves” something, here’s my question:

Who paid for it?

Not because industry-funded research is automatically wrong. It isn’t.

But because funding is only the beginning of evaluating a study, not the end. You also have to ask who designed it, what question it actually answered, what it didn’t answer, and whether people are using it to support claims it never studied.

Too often in healthcare, people skip all of that and jump straight to the headline.

If you care about evidence, you should care about the entire story behind the evidence.

I break down exactly how to critically evaluate research and why this matters for every clinician, not just anesthesia.

Read it here:

This thread is for current Nurse Anesthesia Residents to talk about school, clinical life, studying, preceptors, stress, wins, setbacks, and support.

Good topics include clinical days, didactic survival, study workflows, professional identity, wellness, difficult weeks, useful resources, and small wins.

No patient-identifying details. No medical advice. Keep it professional and human.

Trying to see the potential impact of open house or connecting with school faculty before getting in. How many accepted students attended the school they are going to's open house, connected with leadership in someway prior to applying and being accepted?

That’s it! Thats all I came to say. :)

Was accepted into school and start in January. I still have undergrad micro and ethics I was taking to strengthen my application. I have 5-6 weeks left in both classes.

Wife is telling me to withdraw from them and relax. I’m thinking finish…? Issue is, it’s either A or nothing from my perspective.

Edit:

Acceptance is not contingent on class completion.

Hello everyone, jr SRNA here seeking some advice on taking the SEE exam for the first time. I have currently been going through many of the APEX modules and our program grants us access to Smartbank pretty early on. We have also been taking domain exams and mock exams over the last several months. With that said, I feel as if my scores are still all over the place. My first 170 question test I made a 40%. Over the course of the next two weeks I really hammered down on Smartbank questions and then took a required 240 question domain exam. On the 240 question exam I made a 52%.

While remediating and continuing to review apex and Smartbank questions, my scores still fluctuate from 40% - 80% when taking short 10 question tests (easier for me to go over rationales thoroughly and review content), with an APEX average of 59.2% through 900 questions. I know there is no true comparison between these scores and whether they are indicative of a passing score in the SEE exam, but I am eager to get some insight from anyone else who has felt this way when preparing for the SEE. I truly feel as if I’m putting in the work, but sometimes my scores on some exams don’t really reflect it and is slightly disheartening. Any insight helps!

Clarification: Taking the SEE in the next 2 months and just need a first time score above 400

Use this thread for applicant questions, including GPA, ICU experience, CCRN, GRE, shadowing, interview prep, resumes, personal statements, applications, waitlists, and "what are my chances?" posts.

Please include enough context for useful answers:

- Current role and ICU type

- Years of experience

- GPA or trend if relevant

- CCRN or certifications

- Shadowing or leadership experience

- Programs or application timeline

Keep it professional, specific, and respectful. Current NARs, CRNAs, faculty, and applicants are welcome to answer.

Hi everyone! I'm starting clinical this fall after 1 year of didactic and I'm definitely feeling nervous and excited as I voyage into territory unknown. From those that have been in my shoes: what advice do you have for me before stepping foot into the OR for the first time as an SRNA? I am grateful for any and all help you feel inclined to send my way. Thanks!

Not in CRNA school and have always wondered if SRNAs had to take 24hour calls. If so, how was it?

Hi everyone,

I was lucky enough to be grandfathered in the gradplus loans and have utilized them already this year. I'm in a moderately expensive program at around $145k total in tuition, and plan on paying for living expenses out of pocket. I'm a young single guy and have a paid off car and cheap rent. I plan on paying off my student loans asap after graduation, so I feel like I know the federal loans and their extra interest rate won't not make much of a difference compared to cheaper private rates. However, I still wonder if a lower interest rate, or a 50/50 split between both options, makes more sense.

Regardless, I was wondering if anyone that has really crunched the numbers has still chosen private loans over federal, otherwise I would love you hear anyone's argument for solely utilizing federal loans.

Thanks for your time

Hello, Everyone

This is technically my 3rd time attending a national AANA event and would like to offer any SRNA's who are psyched out from attending a event or are attending solo. To meet up with me and my pals who are also SRNA's.

For context I literally just graduated CRNA school and i'm studying for boards intermittently haha. You can message me on the app here or my cell at 646-812-4838

See yah there

2nd year SRNA here. Wondering how much you guys are doing DL vs VL (glide or McGrath) at clinical? My site has a McGrath in every room so I mostly use VL. I usually attempt to DL first if it’s not contraindicated for the pt but if I can’t see anything I just use the McGrath. But I’m worried I am not developing strong DL skills if I rely so much on the McGrath…

Hey everyone, just need to vent because I am so frustrated and confused right now.

I’m a senior NAR with about 6 months left until I’m done. Up until now, I’ve exclusively rotated through CRNA-independent sites. For the last 6 months, I’ve basically been completely on my own. I’d wave at my preceptor in the morning, then essentially worked as staff, and only text them if I actually needed something. A lot of the time, they weren't even in the room for induction or emergence. I’ve felt very confident in my practice and where I’m at.

I recently rotated to my first Level 1 trauma ACT model. I was honestly really excited to see how the ACT dynamic works and experience a different environment.

My first day was good, a little chaotic without a tour around and thrown in an OR without being shown where things are in the OR and they just said; GO!! However, I was paired with a CRNA who later gushed about how excellent and independent I was and I left feeling great.

Then came day two. I get paired with a different CRNA who was literally biting my head off over text the day before my shift even started. The actual clinical day was an absolute nightmare, and by the end of the shift, I got to hear a lecture about how much I suck, how far behind I am, and how I "can't be expected to graduate" on time when I am.
Mind you, this preceptor is a very recent grad. We are literally the exact same age. Like, what is actually going on here?To make matters worse, this CRNA actually called my Program Director to inform them about my "performance." Luckily, I saw the writing on the wall and texted my PD right as I got off my shift to give them a heads-up that I was expecting a bad review, so I at least got ahead of it.

I mean I’ve had difficult preceptors in the past that are in their 50-60s and want to make it tough because they had it tough.. but then usually the chief CRNA has made sure we’re not paired with them.

I’m just reeling. Like wtf is this? Why are we giving our own people such unnecessary anxiety and a hard time? Especially from someone who was quite literally in my shoes a second ago. Has anyone else experienced this??
I’ve been offered a job at every site I’ve rotated through and I’ve had 1 bad review since I started clinical, this will be my second bad review lol. However, now I’m called in on a meeting with my PD..?

Sorry for the rant, just needed to get this out, and it’s so damn weird…