Possible to get straight A's in nursing school?

[kaiasunshine]

Hi everybody! I've just been accepted into nursing school, which has been the only thing I've been thinking and dreaming of for the last few years, and I am beyond thrilled. However the last year or so I've been considering medical school as an option after my degree. To get into med school in Canada you must have a previous degree, and the average grade that is accepted from the previous degree is a 3.8 GPA or an 86%+ average.

I'm wondering how possible it actually is to get grades like that in nursing school? I always hear the nursing school "motto" that some people adhere to- C equals degree, and I always hear how difficult it is throughout the program, and I'm curious how many of you out there were able to achieve very high GPA's or know people who have! I'm willing to study very hard and put in a LOT of time and effort to get this and hope it will get me where I want to be and leave my options open for after graduation from nursing school :)

[pitaya]

I'm in my next to last semester of nursing school and I have straight A's. *knock on wood* In my program, a C is not a passing grade; only A's and B's are passing grades. Whether or not it's possible depends on several variables, the most important one being the individual student. But some teachers and some programs grade a lot harder than others. For example, for some schools, clinicals are just pass/fail, while other schools incorporate clinicals into the letter grade of the class.

[Sarah010101]

It is totally possible. Plus, at my school a Pass is 60%.. and an A- starts at something like 86%... very reachable :)

[lemidora]

It's pretty easy to get 86%+ average, but getting straight A's will depend on how high your nursing school's grade scale is. At my school an A= 93% which is certainly possible to attain in all your courses if you're willing to give up your social life completely. There are also a lot of other factors that you can't control such as how your professors word their questions on the tests and exams. I have had a couple of courses where I knew the material perfectly and got 90%+ on every imaginable practice test but ended up getting 80's on the actual tests because I couldn't understand what the professor wanted from me. So to answer your question, yes it is possible to get straight A's in nursing school but don't let it be at the cost of your sanity. I was aiming for a 3.8 when I started nursing school a year ago but realized that I'd rather have a balance in my life. Having a 3.5~3.6GPA but also getting to see my friends seemed like a fair trade-off.

[tkm2005]

It is possible, but don't make that your main focus. If you do the stress will drive you crazy and you may even fail! Work hard and make the best grades possible, but don't get down on yourself if you make a B or a C. Good luck - Nursing School is both the best and worst thing I've ever done in my life!!!! :)

[tokyoROSE, BSN, RN]

I'm sure it is possible but I don't know who has in my program. But I'm not one to go around and ask people's grades. I've always tried my best at every class, I've gotten some B's here and there, and I anticipate graduating with a 3.8. To me, 3.8 is much more realistic than a 4.0

[Avocadoloveer]

you dont need a perfect 4.0. as long as youre somewhat above 3.5 , you're good.