Anyone get A's in nursing school?

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Anyone?? I'm going into this with a 4.0, and I know that nursing classes are much harder, but there is that competitive part of me that would like to keep it. So, please, share your stories!

One of my instructors told me to give up the 4.0 idea because nursing programs are so compact that you need to just concentrate on one or two classes and get the As in those to keep your GPA up and settle for the Bs or Cs for the others and so I got my As in clinicals and to do that there was no way that I could spend the time that it required to get As in the other classes. But I'm one of those people who has to study so hard for my grades, they don't just come to me like they do for other people.

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Perhaps what is meant when "you need to give up the idea of keeping your 4.0" is said is not that all A's is not possible (surely quite a few people on this thread have proved that!). Maybe what is meant is that we need stop stressing over it, and focus on learning the material & skills -- learning from our mistakes as well. Whether you get an A or a B-, what did you learn?? If it was the B-, do you know how you would respond differently if you had a "do-over" (as we called them when I was a kid)?

A friend of mine grew up hearing her dad use a great expression -- "Put it in your back pocket and go on..." Don't forget the lesson learned, but don't dwell on your mistakes.

{{{{Good Vibes }}}}} to ALL the nurses & nursing Students, whatever the program, whatever the GPA. :balloons:

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1. Never stop asking why!! Practice it while you study and you will not only know the right answers on exams, but you will be confident as to why you knew the right answer!

2. Make sure you follow the syllabus! My instructors were kind enough to print out practice questions and i can't tell you how many people didn't even take the 10 minutes to check the answers!

3. Go to class.

4. use flashcards for Meds.

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Specializes in er, pediatric er.

I graduated with a 3.953. I made 1 B in nursing school. I also worked full time and I have a child and husband. We had 1 4.0. So, it can be done. However, I would not stress if you don't make A's because a lot of people come into nursing school with a 4.0 and don't leave with it. No hospital cares what your G.P.A. was! That RN beside your name is all they care about!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
I graduated with a 3.953. I made 1 B in nursing school. I also worked full time and I have a child and husband. We had 1 4.0. So, it can be done. However, I would not stress if you don't make A's because a lot of people come into nursing school with a 4.0 and don't leave with it. No hospital cares what your G.P.A. was! That RN beside your name is all they care about!

You're right. In the end it's just a matter of personal pride and wanting to do your best, but not getting to devastated if the 4.0 doesn't happen, because keeping things in perspective it's not the end of the world.

Kudos on the 3.953!

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

I will say that the hospital i work at DID care what my GPA and certain subject grades were.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
I will say that the hospital i work at DID care what my GPA and certain subject grades were.

Grades do, and should matter. But people shouldn't get all bent out of shape if they don't get the 4.0. Honor societies, deans lists, etc. look very good on the resume and might give a person an edge over someone else without those honors, in some positions. In other positions, of course, we all know passing NCLEX, being a warm body is all that matters.

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This is an interesting discussion because I'm really torn right now ...

I have a 4.0 in nursing school but, because I didn't feel I was getting enough real world experience in school, I've gotten into a really great extern program where I've already gotten tons of experience.

The problem is I'll be working during school and I'm worried my grades will suffer somewhat. Everybody always says it's not the end of the world if you don't always get A's but I may want to go to CRNA school, so A's are important for that.

At the same time, I don't want to experience "new grad shock" when I graduate and the extern program will most definitely help me avoid that. I could cut back on the extern hours during school but I don't want to do that too much because the experience is so valuable.

In the end what's more important ... grades or experience?

:coollook:

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I'm intertested in these stories too. I haven't started my core nursing yet but I know that the instructors tell you at orientation that it is impossible to get an A (this is an ADN course at a CC). They flat out say.. "We know you are all overachievers (since admittance is GPA based) but you need to accpet now that this will be the hardest 2 years of your life. You WILL NOT have straight A's."

I too have a 4.0 and I can't tell you how angry this makes, not me, but my husband!! :angryfire

He is FURIOUS! He thinks it's just awful to tell someone who has maintained a 4.0 through college that they absolutely CANNOT get an A in a first semester nursing course no matter how hard they study. He says they are trying to "break you", to see who will tough it out. Basically trying to scare the wits out of you. In our program, out of 50 students, there were three B's and the rest were C's (with two people dropping due to failing scores) in the first semester. NOW in the second semester there were a couple of A's and a few B's and the rest C's... What I have heard from my friends in the program is that the reason the first semester is so hard is that you are learning a whole new way to test... no more memorization only, like in Anatomy, now you have to critically think instead.

So I guess I have had to accept that I will lose my 4.0.. even though I'm not particularly happy about it. I'm wondering if this varies from school to school and BSN vs. ADN...

You don't necessarily have to lose your 4.0 and it's not a given that it will happen but, there are some things that could cause it ...

The biggest problem is that instructors lie, either intentionally or unintentionally. They tell you something is on the test, and it's not. Or they tell you something's not on the test and it is.

"Critical Thinking" is also highly subjective and varies widely by instructor. Just when you start to "get" one instructor's critical thinking questions, you'll get a completely different approach from another instructor.

And, a lot of times they expect you to know things that they don't cover it in class or in the reading. This problem is often compounded if you school has the "team teaching" approach where they have two or three instructors teaching the same class, and they don't communicate with each other ... adding to the confusion. One instructor says this won't be on the test but that instructor doesn't prepare the test and the other instructor adds that material. Things like that.

It's not fair but, this seems to be quite common in nursing school for some reason. This, more than anything else, hinders people's chances of maintaining a 4.0.

:coollook:

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I've heard this argument before and while I don't wish to disrespect you for holding it I do categorically reject it.

I spent 14 years in the healthcare field before entering nursing school and witnessed more temper tantrums than I have ever seen a 2 year old throw. The reality is that 14 years of experiencing such nonsense is not helping me to accept it any better in nursing school any more than nursing instructors being "hard on me" for two years will help me to accept it any better back out in the field.

Personally I think some physicians and some instructors should be knocked off their pedastals and made to behave maturely and respectfully.

CAN I GET AN AMEN!!!!

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Do any of you ever get guilted because you are doing well?

I am afraid to even share grades most of the time because I always get "you do well all of the time :rolleyes: "

i'd be more than happy to help those that are having trouble..if they'd only ask, right?!

I am also so very tired of hearing "c's get degrees" and "A students usually don't do well in clinical". Cut me a break already....so I can go study some more :rotfl:

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I like A's. I like getting A's. I like studying.

I also like to sleep from time to time, bathe myself and spend time with my Honey.

I'll take a B if it means I can spend a little time with him. :p

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