Professors fail everyone?

Nursing Students General Students

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Hey so I was wondering if a nursing professor will still fail you even if you put in a lot of effort over the semester to do well. Like you went to go get help from the in-school tutors and visited her after you didn't do well on tests and stuff.

I'm going in the final for my Womens/Peds class right on the brink of failing. I have to raise my grade 4 points in order to pass. My grades have steadily been improving over the semester and I honestly can say that I have done my best.

Will the professor still fail me if I don't do so well on the final?

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This is a question that only that instructor can answer for you. Some give the benefit of the doubt at the end, others provide avenues for "extra credit" to raise one's grade to passing, and others say no, you get what you earn, period. You have to talk to your instructor to find out where you stand.

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More than likely.

Now do you mean you are 4 points away from a passing grade or 4% away from a passing grade? I know in our program (and many others) there is no rounding of grades - no ifs ands or buts about it. If you get a 76.99% and you need a 77% to pass, sorry about your luck - try harder next time! I know a few people in my Pharm class that failed last semester by 0.5%. It sucks but that's nursing school for ya!

Good luck and I hope you do well on your final exam!

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4% and the final is worth like 40% of our grade and we take a HESI which is worth 10%. Our program is the same way. They don't round anything which is making me super nervous.

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.

Honestly, don't count on having an exception be made. I have yet to hear of an instructor that will pass an otherwise failed student purely off dedication to succeed. If that were the case, then almost no body would fail, since most who do fail wanted nothing more than to try their best and succeed. There is a slim chance that the instructor would take pity and pass you or offer extra credit of some sort, but it is very unlikely. Think about it this way. An exception gets made for you, and now anyone who barely failed uses you as an example as to why they should get a second chance. My making an exception for you but not others, the instructor could be accused of favoritism or worse. Basically, try your best to get a good grade on this final and the exit exam. And if you dont pass, apply for readmittance and do better next time. This doesnt have to be the end of the road, but if you dont pass, it will likely be a speed bump that sets you back a semester. GL

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Specializes in Critical Care, Postpartum.

It will be completely up to the professor. I know professors who will smile and laugh with you and fail you swiftly in a heartbeat, even if you were .01% away from passing.

In my previous degree, I was taking computer science. I was struggling and would often be in my professor's office with questions and to review all tests/exams whether I passed or failed them. In the end I failed the final exam. He called me in his office and told me he didn't have the heart to fail me because he knew how hard I tried in his class.

Be prepared for the worse, but try to do well for the remaining exams to try to boost your grade. Good luck!

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Depends on the professor but if you can't pass a class it's going to be a problem for the nclex and schools really care about their pass rates. If they let failing students pass and those students don't pass boards they can lose accreditation. I wouldn't count on it myself.

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Don't count on it. I failed a nursing class last year by 3.5 points. I was so upset and it would of made a difference to me. Nursing instructors are strict about grading.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Education.

I would not pass a student who is below the passing standard. I care enough about my students' knowledge and the public's safety to tell a student when they are not ready. The huge majority return with a fresh perspective, new study skills (I work with failing students extensively) and go on to succeed and be great nurses. The worst thing I've ever experienced as a professor was seeing another professor pass a marginal student who was two points below passing. I tried to work with that student on skills and study techniques. The student felt she was "home free" since she passed. She failed NCLEX 3 times. Guess who she called for help then? Hint: not the professor who let her pass unfairly.

I want all of my students to meet or exceed the same minimum standards to protect their own licenses after graduation, to protect the public, and to be fair to all of my students. There must be an absolute minimum standard somewhere.

OP, I wish you luck, but whether you pass or fail, I hope you explore why you are not succeeding and go back to learn more about your areas of content in which you are not doing well. Also, Test Success by Nugent & Vitale has been a great help for many of my students.

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some professors round up your grade so you can pass.

some are just mean! you should bother your professor but dont be annoying. tell that prof that youre doing your best and get sympathy points. she might then help you. if a lot of people in your class are in danger, she might give an extra credit assignment for the whole class.

or if shes really nice, she might make the final exam super easy so every can get an A. this happened when i was in OB semester. OB is just not my specialty... my prof made the final super easy and i literally needed an A to pass the class, and i got A because i did pass the class.

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Specializes in hospice.
some professors round up your grade so you can pass.

some are just mean! you should bother your professor but dont be annoying. tell that prof that youre doing your best and get sympathy points. she might then help you. if a lot of people in your class are in danger, she might give an extra credit assignment for the whole class.

or if shes really nice, she might make the final exam super easy so every can get an A. this happened when i was in OB semester. OB is just not my specialty... my prof made the final super easy and i literally needed an A to pass the class, and i got A because i did pass the class.

What are you, 12?

You're adults. Act like it. If you don't meet the standard, you fail. Period. I certainly won't be whining like a child and trying to rack up sympathy points when I'm in school next year. I wouldn't even advise my second grader to try such a strategy, because her teacher deserves more respect than that.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

Most will not adjust your grade. Occasionally, one will. However, if you are just.not.getting.it, do you feel like you can be safe as a nurse? Is that the nurse you want caring for your mom if she's in the hospital? Do you think this is something that would help you come NCLEX time?

One thing I think you need to shift in your mentality- instructors do not fail students (generally). Students fail students. You earn the grade you earn. Some people work their butts off to earn a C, others breeze their way to an A. It's not about effort sometimes, it's about getting it. It can take time to learn how to work smarter, not harder. You can study all day long using techniques that don't work well for you and get nowhere.

I'm not saying this stuff to be mean, but rather, to help you understand why instructors may not bump a grade to let someone pass. Often, this doesn't help the student in the long run. Yes, it absolutely sucks at the time, but especially in a career that is quite literally life and death, you need to be able to achieve at least the minimum passing standard.

I wish you well with the remainder of the term! Good luck with the exams!!

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