Failed first semester by very small amount...

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HI everyone... I just failed by first semester of nursing school and I'm devastated. A few people in my class have failed by such a small amount I don't even see how they can do this... our program requires 80% so 79.5% is the lowest you can get to pass. There are people in my class that have 79.48 and they have failed. Has this happened to anyone else? Can they even do this?

wow GrnTea...way to kick someone when they are already down. Thanks for the optimism

One person's pessimist is another person's optimist. GrnTea is just telling it like it is...

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care.

Good day:

I didn't take GrnTea's comments negatively or otherwise as a put down. She offered key words of wisdom such as stepping things up and changing one's game plan.

Thank you.

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Specializes in Emergency.
9 times out of 10, if they failed 1 course --even if they JUST missed the mark--they rarely do much better the second time around.

So, out of 10 students, only one student will actually pass the program? What kind of statistics are those? You don't think more than just one student would change how they study?

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So, out of 10 students, only one student will actually pass the program? What kind of statistics are those? You don't think more than just one student would change how they study?

We have found that for those who fail one course, the odds are high that they will fail another one. There are exceptions, i.e. those who had a medical or family emergency during the semester and failed because of a missed exam or missed clinicals. HOWEVER, those who come in front of the committee after failing one class due to poor study skills, lack of ability, etc etc and say "I have test anxiety" or "I now know how to study" or "I have a tutor and a study group and promise to study all the time" or "School is now my priority because I was meant to be a nurse"...yeah, the majority of those fail another course and fail the program. I've seen it happen 4 out of 4 times since May. My school is AWESOME at making sure you all have the support you need to pass every single course. If someone fails after repeated attempts by the instructor and success center, they deserve to fail IMHO.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
wow GrnTea...way to kick someone when they are already down. Thanks for the optimism

GreenTea wasn't being unkind; she was being completely honest with you. It does get harder, so rounding up may eventually catch up with a student who is borderline.

​I have seen GT offer support and assistance to many students and nurses here. Instead of lashing out at her for telling you the truth, try to see what the take-away is from her post and how it can help you.

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I agree with GrnTea...I'm a student rep on a committee that decides the fate of students who have failed a course and would like to re-take it and continue on in the program. 9 times out of 10, if they failed 1 course --even if they JUST missed the mark--they rarely do much better the second time around. If they do manage to pass the course that was retaken, they usually end up failing another course at some point.

at my school, we called it "resequencing", ie you resequenced into the course as it was linear and set up accordingly. we were given one chance to resequence and many of those people failed the next class. They only gave us (the generic us, not me in particular) one chance to resequence because they knew the odds went down the more people came back

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Specializes in Family Medicine, Tele/Cardiac, Camp.

1. Nursing school is HARD. I got my BA from an Ivy league school and I maintain that I had a harder time with my 2-year nursing program that I ever did getting my BA.

2. I too agree with GrnTea. It does *not* get easier. And that's not meant to discourage you. We only want people to know the truth about the profession. You say you want to be a nurse more than anything. Awesome! Use this time to figure out where you went wrong. I'm not saying nobody in the program is at fault (because we've all had crummy teachers or clinical instructors who don't gel with our personalities), but the only thing anyone can ever change is themselves. If you really want to be a nurse, do what you can to keep working towards that. Make a study group, make flashcards after every class, tape the lectures and listen to them while you're driving or doing the dishes. Whatever it takes. If you discover that you really don't want that after-all, don't kick yourself. It doesn't mean you're a terrible person, it just means you've changed your mind. And there is NOTHING wrong with that. This seems like a great crossroads for you. And I imagine that whatever you decide to do, whatever happens, it will ultimately be for the better. We've all had crappy situations that mysteriously turned into a blessing.

3. One of my favorite quotes is by Henry Ford, "Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently."

That being said, I best get my butt a-studyin' for my care-of-the-child-bearing-woman final I have tomorrow.

Good luck and hang in there.

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

I don't get the "by a small amount" argument. You pass the boards or you don't. School is the same.

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So, out of 10 students, only one student will actually pass the program? What kind of statistics are those? You don't think more than just one student would change how they study?

She's right. Most of them don't, actually. Especially those who fail in the first semester, when the material is the easiest.

I am pleased to hear that some woke up and smelled the coffee, and did apply themselves differently the next go-round, and did well. However, in my experience, they are a definite minority. I stand by my opinion that the OP gets to decide how to proceed from here: either radically change the way she approaches her educational program, or choose something else. Whatever happens, I hope it's for the best.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Ortho, Subacute, Homecare, LTC.

It sucks not making it and especially by such a slim amount. I'm sure it feels like a slap in the face. I would most certainly take it over again and try your hardest.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

A former classmate of mine failed his 1st semester of nursing school by 2 points. Not 2 percentage points, I mean literally 2 points. He ended up returning to the program and passed with a similar grade. However, his grades did improve throughout the rest of the program as he essentially learned how he best learns. He is proudly now a Registered Nurse.

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Wow I am so unbelievably sorry that this happened to you :( I think people on here need to be more sympathetic. Don't let this knock you down get back up and follow your dreams! Never give up

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