Are you an A student. How do you achieve it

ReinventingMyselfAgain, MSN, RN · Dec 21, 2012

I agree with this. Jobs are not going to care whether you earned A's or C's in nursing school, they just care that you graduated and passed the NCLEX..

Actually, I'm finding this to be untrue, at least where I live. The top students in our graduating class are the ones getting the prime jobs. I doubt this is a coincidence.

lace2010 · Dec 22, 2012

I just finished my first semester with a 3.56 GPA (3A's and 2B's).. I found that if I put the time in to read the material and understand it, it came back to me while I was taking the test. There was one class where I could have gotten an A instead of a B, but I was slightly worked to the bone during one test that week and kinda gave up on it. It all comes down to how much you want to work for it and how you as an individual learn. I studied alone whenever my daughter was napping or down for the night. It is very possible, just have to put in the work. Good luck!~

OnMyWay23 · Dec 22, 2012

Be open to accepting change as well. If something is not working for you, ask advice and take it. I had to totally change my way of studying. My past semester I had tons of roadblocks....my 15 year old son was hospitalized, our families only form of transportation blew the heads then the engine, and to top it off I was rear ended by a semi. By listening to advice of peers, study groups (which showed me different ways others studied), and just doing the best I could..I pulled Bs in all my nursing classes. If I would have had a "normal" semester that I could have attended every day, I would have gotten my As.

Short version: seek advice, take criticism constructively and not as a personal attack, and find the way that works for you! :)

Good luck! :yes:

vintage_RN, BSN, RN · Dec 22, 2012

I just finished my first semester with an 86.2% avg which I think is an A- (we don't really go by letter grades). The only reason I care so much about grades is because I'm in a Practical Nursing program and one day may want to bridge to BSN. More important than grades is understanding the material....in the past I have been a mediocre student because I just tried to memorize things...you really need to understand the concepts and apply the knowledge. What really helped me was watching youtube videos for hours on anatomy and skills demonstrations. Also.....don't get behind.

Vally Willis · Dec 22, 2012

I am an A student, finished my first year with a 4.0(although who knows if it will stay this way this coming year). As for studying I read all of the assigned chapters while taking notes on what is important. I use the outline and class handouts to help me focus on what is likely the most important information (aka what will likely be on the exam)but I try not to ignore the other stuff though since it could be on the NCLEX (but there are only so many hour in the day). I use study guides like Mosbey's Nclex review, Sanders Nclex review, Medsurg for success, Fundamentals for Success (only used ths 1st semester) and my school uses Kaplan. I also make charts (did not use this 1st semester, but came in handy for medsurg) which is divided into sections of disease overview, patho, symptoms, how it is diagnoised, treatments and nursing interventions. With all of that being said every student is different and what works for me may not work for you.My biggest suggestion would be to be prepared to work really really hard, keep up on your reading assignments, DO NOT MISS LECTURE, if study groups help you get one set up, if you are struggling set up appointments with your professors, don't be afraid to ask for help, it is likely that there may be concepts you don't understand, and when you are in clinicals don't be afraid to ask questions. Also, I wouldn't stress yourself out by telling yourself "you have to get an A". Nursing school is really, really hard (and if you are doing an ADN it is a lot of info at once since they cram the almost same amount of info as a BSN into 2 years since we do take the same NCLEX) and there is nothing wrong with getting a B or a C. I have had really intelligent friends at school not do as well, but who cares if you pass. C=RN

Good Luck! :)

Twinmom06, ASN, APN · Dec 22, 2012

learn to forgive yourself if you DON'T get all A's...I just finished my 3rd of 4 semesters with a B- and a B and I'm very happy about that...I have plenty of friends that would have given their body parts for those grades and get to graduate in May...

while GPA is important for grad school its not the only thing...work and life experience are also important...

cstrazis · Dec 23, 2012

People learn and understand in different ways, but I make As by: Reading all of my assigned readings, taking notes from the book in my own words to ensure my understanding, memorize my notes, and read through the power points and the notes I took in lecture (reading carefully things I don't recognize.) When I say memorize, I don't mean brainless pounding of meaningless information into my short term memory, I mean making sure I still know it when my books and notebooks are closed..I recite the things I wrote down, maybe not word for word, but I pretend I'm teaching someone else...this way I know that I know it, it makes sense to me, and I will remember it. Also, you must be able to manage your time. You will have clinical paperwork and projects, as well as multiple tests to study for. As soon as you know your schedule and assignments, literally sit down and carve out daily goals for progressing through the mountain of work ahead of you. Write these things down, on a calendar, and meet your goals every day. If you miss a day, you must sacrifice time elsewhere. This ensures that you are on top of your work, you can give your best when you are doing something, you get the most out of it (you learn from these things, wild huh?), and you don't find yourself with 5 deadlines in the next 3 days that you totally forgot about- this is a sure way to lose your A and possibly your enrollment in the program. Not only does good time management help you get good grades, but it preserves your sanity, impresses your colleagues/peers/teachers, and you learn to be responsible for your own actions- excellent skills for nursing practice. I am an A student, approaching my final semester in nursing school hoping to be an APN in neurology/oncology.

cstrazis · Dec 23, 2012

Also, the mindset that any passing grades are fine is a tad bit slippery, I understand when you feel in danger of failing, it is difficult to avoid this thought. However, the more you learn the better you understand future information. It is all a snowball of information and experiences that become more meaningful and applicable the larger they grow. Guess what happens when you graduate, you take that snowball you built and begin being responsible for the lives of other humans. When you are early in your program, this isn't reality for you yet- but understand that it is coming, and you will be thrown to the wolves if your practice is incompetent. Do it right from the very beginning, you and your patients will thank you.

Java_Wench · Dec 23, 2012

I didn't get all A's, I got one B...but the people talking about planners are right on! I don't know how everyone's school is, but the schedules are mine are wonky and random sometimes and between class, clinical, exams, mid-semester class time changes, take home quizzes, clinical paperwork due dates, and quizzes taken online and at campus online, it's really easy to miss something. Your planner will be your best friend and lifeline!

One thing that really helped me out was to read the chapter that the next day's lecture was covering the night before. That way you have a base understanding and can hone in on what the instructors are covering (which is usually stuff that will show up on the exams) and what they're ignoring (stuff that you can focus less on). Also, memorizing is important, but they usually want to know if you're using critical thinking and the nursing process. So when you learn about a new term or condition, try to be able to think of a situation or scenario where it would come up. Many smart people in my class just could not apply the knowledge to "real life" scenarios and did poorly on tests even though the understood the definitions. Also.........try to make some time for yourself or you will go nuts. :) Good luck!

Sadala, ADN, RN · Dec 23, 2012

I buy a planner and write down every test I have and highlight it in yellow. Then I fill in all the quizzes and highlight it in green.

Wait. Stop the presses. They TELL you when you will have quizzes? LOL I wish! They never tell us. But... we can pretty much guarantee that when our butt hits the chair in any given class or lab we are going to have one or two quizzes. Typically, it's over material we've very recently discussed, or refers back to homework we've recently turned in, or something we've been given to study that's additional. Sometimes it just covers our assigned text reading.

Sadala, ADN, RN · Dec 23, 2012

I also know a couple of girls who get great grades and their process is different from mine but it WORKS for them - the important thing. But they use some version (with skills and with patho) of drawing a picture of how the a&p works in reference to whatever pathophysiology they are studying and they told me that during the test they can see the picture in their head and it leads them to the correct answer. Same type of thing works for pharm for these students.

Still other students who do well tape the instructors and play the lectures continuously. So I think nursing school can accommodate many different learning styles if you put a good deal of time and effort into the method that works best for you.

Also, if you get the right group of people together student study groups can be excellent and can also provide great support.

nycedagreat · Dec 23, 2012

I would like to start off by saying that every reply here is absolutely correct. All styles work for that wonderful A. The school I attended had A+ so various students would sometimes receive 4.1 or 4.2 at the end of a semester. It all depends on your blood, sweat and tears. That's exactly what nursing school is.

Someone stated earlier that grades don't matter. Possibly depending on your situation. MSN-PHD. It might depending in program and location. I graduated in May-2012 BSN. Memorial Sloan in NYC offered me my first gig. I was never asked my Gpa. I graduated with honors. No interviewer asked to see my transcripts and no one asked me what my Gpa was. When I did ask if they wanted to see my trans the reply was not really we just care that you graduated.

I have a new found respect for serious managers and hr recruiters. Meaning they understand that a person with a 4.0 could be book smart and lack people skills, where a 2.7 student could be lack book skills and be great with people. Preceptorship a weed out both kinds.

As far as willing to do anything to get straight A's. I was in class with 40 students. A lot would actually purchase the test banks which are online and cheap. Clinical instructors use to tell students that the school didn't own the test banks so it was not cheating to have them. BS it was cheating. However some students couldn't be as organized as others. Nursing school programs are very rigorous and take a lot of personal time to do well. I worked 30-40 hrs per week while attending school. It was also my second degree first being biochem, so I had a excellent background in science. I never purchased a test-bank, but I did have a upper hand coming into the program due to my background. Some would tell me that I was cheating lol.

I believe that a strong student must believe in themselves first and study hard. The number one trick is STAY ON TOP of everything. Procrastination is killer in nursing school. Purchase a Saunders book or hurst review before you touchdown at school and read and memorize and then understand. MEMORIZE and then UNDERSTAND. Every man is built different, however this technique is made for every study habit. Hurst and Saunders will instill the proper way to CLINICALLY THINK. You must read it and memorize it first. As you progress you will begin to understand it.

Nursing was a great time. I was one of three guys in a 45 student class. Couldn't have been better. Lol. Study groups and classmates helped me keep a tremendous Gpa. I know this reply may sound like it was all me, but I did have a great class. Take your time, study hard, don't procrastinate, and memorize and then understand. Keep true to those rules and its as easy as mac n chz- light!!!