Are C's really the new A's in nursing school?

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A few nursing students I have met told me this. Is this true? Seems kind of scary. Lol.

No. C is not "the new A".

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Specializes in Addiction, Psych, Geri, Hospice, MedSurg.

If C is the new A, then there are a lot of people that are passing by the skin of their teeth or failing out. We need a 79 to pass, which is a high C. You get a 78.99, you fail. PERIOD. There is no rounding AT ALL.

A's are more than possible. Hard work, commitment, LOTS of study time... but possible.

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Specializes in Mother Baby RN.

Do your best. Some can get A's easily, while others struggle just to get C's or B's. Usually the ones who say C's are the new A's are the ones who don't read, study, or dedicate much time to it.

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"C" may equal "RN". But passing the NCLEX is just the start of a nursing career. If your base is shaky, you're gonna have a harder time actually doing the work. This is not like some liberal arts degrees where it's not so crucial in your future career that you really comprehend, say, the Trojan War.

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Specializes in cardiac-telemetry, hospice, ICU.

Remember that the "C" you get in nursing school reflects your understanding of the subject. Do you think a "C" student or an "A" student has an easier time passing the NCLEX? Yes, "A"s are doable and should be on your mind in school.

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I personally don't think I'm a C student. However, if I study, read, & do everything I can in my power to get an A & don't. I'm not going to beat myself up about it. I would reevaluate my study skills & go from there. In addition some people are not good test takers period. They can tell you what they know and how to do something to the tee but, to put on paper can mess with there ability to take the test. With that being said, if this type of person earns a "c" or "b" when in there heart they know they can get an A. Is good enough for them. Everyone is different. Nursing is something that is in your heart first. Applying the skill will be natural. As for the student who doesn't really try then they deserve that "C". As for me I'm an A student but I WILL NOT beat myself up if I don't earn that A. I know I'm good at what I do, & I know that hey I didn't do so great on that test but let me review this & find out why. My grade won't change, but I would have the opportunity to review a skill learn it & move on. I know some people have to have an A. As a PCA I never here a patient ask a nurse or PCA, so... How were your grades in school? Your place of employment may or may not ask for a transcript they are looking to see if you passed the NCLEX! Trust me your skills will show once your in the field, and you still have to learn because your not a seasoned nurse yet. A seasoned nurse will tell you some things that you didn't learn while you were in nursing school. To answer your question "c" is not the new norm. However the best student can get a C!

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

At the risk of getting flamed, the BEST student gets As...not Cs.

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.
At the risk of getting flamed, the BEST student gets As...not Cs.

I'm sorry, but I don't even know any straight A students who have never gotten a C on a test.

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

I never got less than an A in nursing school. Nice to meet you.

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.
I never got less than an A in nursing school. Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you, as well!

My concern is the flaws behind generalized grade comparison. Programs across the country have different instructors, different grading rubrics, different expectations, different levels of detail, and just overall levels of difficulty. I could make all A's in my program, but who knows what I'd make elsewhere?

Of course, some people would study 40 hours a week more if they were faced with a higher level of difficulty in order to preserve their grades.

But if everyone could and was expected to make A's, nobody would be impressed by them. C is average, so most people will fall there. If not, technically the scale is off.

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Specializes in L&D/NICU/Pediatrics.
A few nursing students I have met told me this. Is this true? Seems kind of scary. Lol.

Untrue. Silliest thing I've heard today

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I got A's in all my pre-req's and barely needed to crack a book, if at all...truthfully, I could have attended only a handful of classes each semester and still kept my A's. In my nursing program I work very hard for my B average. Most people in my program are working very hard to maintain their C average and I don't think there is a single person who has an A average, which is above a 94%. I almost made an A in my OB course but my toddler decided to transition early into the "terrible two's" so I missed it by only a few points. I was very disappointed by that, but hey, I know I tried my best under the circumstances.

I have not given up on getting an A in atleast one course, if not (gasp could it even be possible?!) more than one. I take one I have learned about studying and test preparation from each semester and tweak it so that I can improve for the next semester. For me, it's not exactly a nurses theory grade that translates into whether or not they can be a great nurse, it is how they do in clinicals and how they transfer the knowledge they learn in class into their patient care. I know of a few in my class who do well on their exams but once they step into the hospital it's like all common sense gets thrown out the window.

P.S Most of the students in our class who I often heard using the "C is the new A" phrase to make themselves feel better about their progress, are no longer in our class.

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