NCLEX Pass Rates For Charlotte Area Nursing Programs

U.S.A. North Carolina

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I looked on the NCBON website just to check the NCLEX pass rates for Charlotte area programs over the last five years. I was both surprised and somewhat disappointed. Of course, Mercy School of Nursing had the best avg over the last five years. That is understandable since it is a diploma school so you would expect that nursing skills would be exceptional. What really disappointed me was Queens and Presby at Queens. For the last five years the scores have really been somewhat low. I wonder why that is? Those were the programs that I was really considering put if I'm not going to be taught enough to pass the NCLEX why bother? I encourage anyone looking into nursing programs to check the pass rates. For NC, just go to NCBON.org and click on Data Request/Statistics and it will list the pass rates for the last five years for every school that has a nursing program. It also list the LPN Pass rates also.

Doing some more research on Charlotte area programs on here (threads new & old) and speaking to a few people- UNC Charlotte and CPCC were the more 'troubled' programs. This is surprising to me also.

Specializes in Critical Care.
Doing some more research on Charlotte area programs on here (threads new & old) and speaking to a few people- UNC Charlotte and CPCC were the more 'troubled' programs. This is surprising to me also.

Not sure where you got the info from, but CPCC is not a "troubled" program. Its actually one of the most respected in the area. Mercy does have the highest pass average in the area, as does the other diploma programs in the state. But out of the other schools in charlotte, CPCC is one of the best. And most of the area employers prefer CPCC graduates. I've heard many hiring managers and nurses on the floor talk about how they like CPCC graduates the most, they feel that CPCC produces the best clinicians in the area. Also, CPCC just built a brand new health education building with simulation labs, etc. Sounds like they have some nice facilities for the students to learn in.

If I remember right, UNCC almost lost their accreditation a few years ago, and Queens almost lost theirs about a year ago. I believe UNCC has made some changes and seen some improvements, but I believe Queens is still in bad shape. I think it was their last class or two to graduate that saved their accreditation. I was always surprised to hear this about the two schools since they are so expensive.

CMC's school (Carolina's College of Health Sciences) does well too. I have a friend in their school now. It seems like a good program, but they seem to enforce their policy to kick people out of the program for not maintaining a certain grade point average throughout the semester (most schools would drop you at the end of the semester or let you repeat the semester). From my understanding, they kick people after the very first test in the first semester. :eek:

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I got the info from older threads in this section. Thank you for the clarification. :)

Not sure where you got the info from, but CPCC is not a "troubled" program. Its actually one of the most respected in the area. Mercy does have the highest pass average in the area, as does the other diploma programs in the state. But out of the other schools in charlotte, CPCC is one of the best. And most of the area employers prefer CPCC graduates. I've heard many hiring managers and nurses on the floor talk about how they like CPCC graduates the most, they feel that CPCC produces the best clinicians in the area. Also, CPCC just built a brand new health education building with simulation labs, etc. Sounds like they have some nice facilities for the students to learn in.

If I remember right, UNCC almost lost their accreditation a few years ago, and Queens almost lost theirs about a year ago. I believe UNCC has made some changes and seen some improvements, but I believe Queens is still in bad shape. I think it was their last class or two to graduate that saved their accreditation. I was always surprised to hear this about the two schools since they are so expensive.

CMC's school (Carolina's College of Health Sciences) does well too. I have a friend in their school now. It seems like a good program, but they seem to enforce their policy to kick people out of the program for not maintaining a certain grade point average throughout the semester (most schools would drop you at the end of the semester or let you repeat the semester). From my understanding, they kick people after the very first test in the first semester. :eek:

I almost completely forgot about CPCC!!!! I remember hearing complaints about the difficult time people had in getting prereq completed there because of the large number of students. It has probably all changed now. My question to you specifically is if you have heard anything through your "grapevine" about graduates from Gaston College's program?

Specializes in Critical Care.

Sometimes the Pre-reqs could be hard to get into. It was mostly the A&P classes, and the microbiology class. You usually had to be online at midnight at the start of registration to get in, but they also would work with nursing students and help them get into a class. And sorry, I've never heard much about gaston college graduates. I think most of them get jobs with gaston hospital, so i've never had much dealings with them. But that is a plus side, they have an easier time getting a job at Gaston hospital, which is a magnet hospital and from what I hear, they pay better than any of the hospitals in Charlotte.

Specializes in One day CCU maybe!.

As a former MSON graduate, I can tell you that we were constantly being told by nurses at the hospitals that compared to other schools we were way ahead of the game. Apparently the other schools did more shadowing and ancillary work (baths, etc) while we did total pt care (meds, dressing changes, etc). After moving out of state, I started working with other new grads from the area I moved too and my nursing director came up to me and asked if any of my other classmates would be willing to relocate to that state. She has only been impressed by how much I know and my non-slack work ethic (a requirement at MSON).

MSON only sets you up to succeed. They are also one of the few schools that has a critical care semester which hones your skills. MSON is the best school in my totally biased but honest opinion. There are no other options!! ;) At my work, I get complimented CONSTANTLY by staff members and doctors that are impressed with my skills and I was by no means at the top of my class at Mercy. I graduated with a less than 3.0 gpa. If you pass MSON, you are going to be a good nurse.

The only other school I have heard great things about in that area, is Gaston Memorial. But I've only heard that through the grape vine. As for CPCC, UNCC, Queens, and so forth, I have heard bad or so-so reviews both for NCLEX and for performance in clinicals.

Specializes in Acute Care Pediatrics.

I'm currently a student at Queens (PSON), and I will tell you they are now teaching COMPLETELY to the nclex. They are shoving test taking down our THROATS!!! LOL.... not sure how the last graduating class did, but they are revamping everything and I can't imagine the pass rates aren't improving as a direct result.

pass rates are more a function of the people/students in the program and not the program, that's why nursing schools have entry exams/criteria. a nurisng program in trouble with the bon and having a problem with student pass rates of nclex usually doesn't lower their entry qualification, they usually raise them to get better students in the program.

Specializes in Acute Care Pediatrics.
pass rates are more a function of the people/students in the program and not the program, that's why nursing schools have entry exams/criteria. a nurisng program in trouble with the bon and having a problem with student pass rates of nclex usually doesn't lower their entry qualification, they usually raise them to get better students in the program.

Indeed. Queens now requires more prereqs, as well as a qualifying entrance exam score. These were not requirements when I applied over three semesters ago.

As a former MSON graduate, I can tell you that we were constantly being told by nurses at the hospitals that compared to other schools we were way ahead of the game. Apparently the other schools did more shadowing and ancillary work (baths, etc) while we did total pt care (meds, dressing changes, etc). After moving out of state, I started working with other new grads from the area I moved too and my nursing director came up to me and asked if any of my other classmates would be willing to relocate to that state. She has only been impressed by how much I know and my non-slack work ethic (a requirement at MSON).

MSON only sets you up to succeed. They are also one of the few schools that has a critical care semester which hones your skills. MSON is the best school in my totally biased but honest opinion. There are no other options!! ;) At my work, I get complimented CONSTANTLY by staff members and doctors that are impressed with my skills and I was by no means at the top of my class at Mercy. I graduated with a less than 3.0 gpa. If you pass MSON, you are going to be a good nurse.

The only other school I have heard great things about in that area, is Gaston Memorial. But I've only heard that through the grape vine. As for CPCC, UNCC, Queens, and so forth, I have heard bad or so-so reviews both for NCLEX and for performance in clinicals.

Thank you. This makes me even more interested in MSON.

Specializes in Critical Care.
Apparently the other schools did more shadowing and ancillary work (baths, etc) while we did total pt care (meds, dressing changes, etc).

They are also one of the few schools that has a critical care semester which hones your skills.

I'm also biased to CPCC since that was my school. I know we never did "shadowing" though. We would do our own baths and vitals, but we still did all of our meds, dressing changes, documentation, and any other skills. We also would go with our patient for any procedures or tests off the unit so we could see for ourselves what was being done. If I was in a school that just shadowed and did CNA work, I would've gone somewhere else.

What do you mean by you had a critical care semester? A semester where your clinicals were in critical care or a semester where your lectures were critical care? I know several other schools do clinicals in critical care areas. But it all comes down to the luck of the draw, and certain schools get to pick clinical sites before other schools. I just saw some UNCC students on my unit the other day. Sadly they were just doing ancillary work. 2 students to 1 patient, and not allowed to give meds. Perhaps because it was the first clinical of the semester?

Anyways, If the NCLEX pass rate is all that will determine what school you go to, you can check the pass rates of all the schools in NC on the board of nursing's website. http://www.ncbon.com/content.aspx?id=1090

MSON does have the highest pass rate last year, so they are obviously doing something right. CPCC is the next highest, and Queen's ADN & BSN and UNCC are both in the low 80's%.

You need to also take into consideration how well the instructors work with their students, are they understanding that you have a life/job/family etc. Will they help you outside of class if you're having a hard time with material. Cost is a big consideration for most people. And location of the school.

I know CPCC instructors were all great to work with. They were always available after class hours in their offices or by phone/email. They all understood we have lives and families. I've heard of some schools telling you to quit your jobs because it will cause you to fail, and they wouldn't work with you. Obviously any school can only work with you to a point. You can't be late to every clinical or miss every class because of something.

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