Programs

Before You Pick Your CRNA Schools, Check This One Thing

S

Sachi, CRNA

CRNA

· Updated · 3 min read
Before You Pick Your CRNA Schools, Check This One Thing
In This Article (4 sections)

Before you pick your CRNA schools, check if your nursing degree’s university is regionally accredited. Some CRNA programs require it. Seriously. Don’t let a technicality mess up your whole application season.

Quick Answer

Of the 154 CRNA programs in The CRNA Club's database, many require your nursing degree to come from a university accredited by one of six regional bodies rather than a national accreditor. Check your school's accreditation type on the U.S. Department of Education's database before building your program list.

Don't Sleep on This: Why Accreditation Will Make or Break You

So picture this. You’re panic-Googling at 3am in the break room, cold pizza in one hand, your transcript in the other. Wondering if your school even counts. 1000%. It matters. If your university isn’t regionally accredited, some CRNA schools straight up won’t even look at you. (Not dramatic, just real.)

There are two types: regional and national. Regional is the VIP section. Higher standards, more respect, less drama later. There are six regional accrediting bodies in the US, and most CRNA programs prefer your school to be on one of those lists. Not sure what that means? We break down the whole “Front-Loaded vs. Integrated” accreditation mess in the The CRNA Club Learning Library (free trial if you want to peek).

Honestly, don’t wait until you’re filling out applications to check this. We’ve seen people get all the way to interviews, then get cut because of this one thing. Nightmare.

Ready to double-check right now? Here’s our CRNA School Requirements guide. Or just use our Free School Database (it’s literally made for this).

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Wait, What Are the Right Accrediting Bodies?

Ever feel like this is alphabet soup? (We did. Still do sometimes.) Here’s what to actually look for. If your university is accredited by any of these, good news. you’re in the clear for ‘regionally accredited’:

  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
  • New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
  • North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)
  • Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
  • Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)

If you’re not sure? Or you’re totally blanking on where your school fits, check the Free School Database. Seriously, saves so much time (and anxiety).

But if your school isn’t on this list? Breathe. Some CRNA programs don’t require regional accreditation. but you have to check each one. Our “Program Requirements” lesson inside the Learning Library breaks that down, too. Messy but doable.

Nursing Program Accreditation: Actually Way Easier

Here’s where things chill out for a sec. For your nursing program itself, it’s just: Is it accredited? Yes or no. None of the regional vs. national drama. Most CRNA programs like ACEN or CCNE (google them if you need to), but if your BSN program is accredited by one of those, you’re usually good.

Still, always check. Some programs get weirdly specific. Want the kind of stuff schools are actually looking for? Our podcast Ep 1: "What CRNA Schools are REALLY looking for in an applicant" (Spotify) is clutch. Also, if you’re like us and want to avoid rookie mistakes, Ep 2: "3 things I would have done differently BEFORE applying to CRNA school" is a must. (We wish we’d had that.)

For more information, check these trusted resources: Council on Accreditation (COA), NBCRNA.

Our Final Thoughts

Okay, real talk. The CRNA Club has been there. lost in requirements, double-checking accreditation while the sun comes up. It’s exhausting. But we built these resources because we want you to have less stress, not more. Seriously, just start with the Free School Database. It’s a lifesaver.

Remember, this accreditation thing is just one piece. There’s “DNP vs. DNAP vs. PhD” (we break it down in the Learning Library), plus all the little requirements that sneak up on you. Listen to Ep 6: "5 signs CRNA school is right for YOU" if you’re still deciding if this is your path. And if you need it all spelled out, our full How to Become a CRNA guide is there for you.

You got this. Let The CRNA Club make the annoying stuff easy, so you can focus on your dream (and maybe actual sleep).

Frequently Asked Questions

How many CRNA programs are there in the US?

There are approximately 140 accredited nurse anesthesia programs in the United States, offering either DNP or DNAP degrees. You can compare all of them in our free CRNA School Database.

How do I choose the right CRNA program?

Consider location, tuition, NCE pass rates, class size, clinical rotation sites, and admission requirements. Our School Database lets you filter and compare all 140+ programs by these criteria.

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Key Features of CRNA Programs that I Wish I Knew When I Was Applying

Key Features of CRNA Programs that I Wish I Knew When I Was Applying

The way a school looks on paper can be far from your in-person experience. I always advise people to speak to local students, nurses, even CRNAs, of their perceptions of the program and students currently attend. A school could look amazing through the website and even through their national rankings and people could have not so favorable experiences with them in real life. Word of mouth, of course, has to always be taken with a grain of salt but fielding firsthand experiences of a program can prove to be invaluable. Speaking to current students could give you more insight into what a program is like outside of just the numbers which are often not influenced by student experience. 1. Student Expectations & Support The capacity of a school and class numbers relative to faculty are important to consider. Is there mentorship between classes available? I’ve found that some of the best advice about making it through my specific program has come from upperclassmen. They have insight specific to a professor or class that you can not find on social media. Mastering the knowledge is one thing but also performing well is another that is better suited with a more direct counsel. Do students have advisors available or how are student concerns addressed? These are questions that you may want to ask to figure out the kind of support you will have through school from faculty. Programs will expect you to know what supports you have outside of school whether that be it family or friends but knowing the academic support you have is another thing. 2. Consider the Academic Calendar This is something I wish I would have considered early on. Is your program on a quarter, trimester, or semester system? How many classes do students take per academic block? Considering the amount of work, you’ll need to juggle is important and will impact your day to day scheduling in school. Taking 5 classes on a quarter system is much different than 5 classes on a semester schedule. It’s worth understanding this before committing to a program at least to anticipate what will be asked of you. Understanding the academic calendar and whether there are any breaks built in will also help you plan your time to rest and recharge. As you become a SRNA so much of your life becomes revolved around school, so any insight to plan your non-school related activities beforehand, the better! 3. Type & Quality of Clinical Placements How are clinical placements decided? What kinds of practice models are at these sites? How far do students on average travel for clinical? Commuting to clinical will become a huge part of your life once you start clinical rotations. Seeing as students are the first to arrive and last to leave, understanding how these placements are made could largely impact your experience to come. Our school tracks the number of miles we must commute and on our next rotation we get to travel closer to home. Also considering that the financial aspect of moving for clinical or commuting is often the sole responsibility of the student this could add another expense to your already sinking funds. Important to consider, to some people that matters more than to others, you just don’t want to be blindsided by the cost when the time comes. Are they mostly large academic centers or is there room for seeing CRNA independent practice? When it comes to the clinical portion of school this is building the foundation for your career. Not only are these learning opportunities, but as you get more familiar with sites, you’ll learn that the anesthesia culture varies per location and practice model. If your training only exposes, you to one practice model it will be hard to have the foundation to be a versatile CRNA once you graduate. The goal of anesthesia training is to give you enough exposure so you can learn where you’d like to work once you graduate. To build that self-concept adequate exposure to all varieties of cases, practice models and healthcare settings is needed. As a nurse anesthesia resident, you are constantly challenged and fully expected to rise to the opportunity. When you’re interviewing for schools, they are trying to sell you an education as well as you are trying to decide what is the right fit. To come to that conclusion, it is important to consider all things and be able to make a sound and educated decision. You would never want to regret such a large investment in your future. Knowing and being able to map out some of the unknowns of school will also help to ease your anxiety and make sure you have the right fit school for you. Good luck out there!

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