GPA AND JOB

Nursing Students General Students

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I am no where near and RN yet , just finished my 1st semester of nursing school. I am going to end up with a GPA between 3.04-3.23 depending on if 2 professors bump my grades as I am 1 point away from an A for one class and one point away from a B- for another.

My dream job when I graduate would be to be a Pediatric Oncology nurse & I am wondering how much my GPA will effect my chances of that happening? I hear so many things about what your GPA means in nursing school. Some people say its everything and others say when you're done everyone is the same once you pass your NCLEX exam. So I am just interested to hear nurses who are currently out there in the work worlds take on what a GPA means when you are trying to get a job!

Especially if you are near the field or ever have been of being a Peds Oncology nurse

Thanks!

Specializes in geriatrics.

I've never had an employer ask about my GPA. I know this varies, but most employers don't care. My GPA has only been important for graduate school applications.

Thanks! I know this is far in my future BUT what is a "good" GPA for graduate school ? =)

I don't think my employer gave much of a hoot about my 4.0 GPA upon hire. I'm not sure if it even factored in, but if it did, it was minor.

Turns out, I ended up working in the same hospital as some of my nursing school classmates who struggled to pass their classes and NCLEX.

Only difference is, I got hired on graduation day, just a few months before them.

I don't think my employer gave much of a hoot about my 4.0 GPA upon hire. I'm not sure if it even factored in, but if it did, it was minor.

Turns out, I ended up working in the same hospital as some of my nursing school classmates who struggled to pass their classes and NCLEX.

Only difference is, I got hired on graduation day, just a few months before them.

Interesting! Where do you work in a hospital ?

Specializes in geriatrics.

GPA requirements vary across programs, but if you want to be competitive 3.4-3.8 is often the desired range.

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

As a new grad, I was once asked to submit my transcript after applying to a prestigious hospital in my area because the recruiter would not grant interviews to anyone whose GPA was less than 3.5.

Since my GPA met the minimum requirement, I was granted an interview. However, I did not get the job.

The school I will be attending is closely affiliated with one the largest hospital network in the area. They rank the new grads in a point system for first choice slots. You can get points by working, volunteering, etc. but they are very upfront that the gpa is one of the most critical factors in the ranking. You can still get hired, but those hired the fastest in their chosen specialty are the ones with the highest gpa.

Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

New grad residencies in my neck of the woods are awash with applicants, so most of them have begun to use objective criteria as part of an automated screening process. The nurse residencies in the Texas Medical Center utilize GPA as one criteria for applicants, along with exit test scores.

Specializes in geriatrics.

That's interesting because GPA is not an indicator of how someone will perform on the job. Someone with book knowledge may have very little common sense or the ability to apply their knowledge. It depends.

Specializes in ICU / Urgent Care.
That's interesting because GPA is not an indicator of how someone will perform on the job. Someone with book knowledge may have very little common sense or the ability to apply their knowledge. It depends.

Yes, but when you have abundance you also want the cream of the crop. Hence why nursing schools weed out those who don't do well in A&P, chem etc.. Those who apply to nursing school with a 2.5 GPA and don't get in might also make compassionate, caring nurses. However, I will argue, if I am laying on an ICU bed I want the kid with the book smarts and the wisdom to apply it. Caring and compassion only take you so far, grades do, in fact, matter, and that is my opinion.

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