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

jjrodriguez, BSN, RN · Aug 12, 2012

Yeah, if you want to advance to grad school, grades definitely matter. I plan to apply for NP school next semester and I ask what is considered a competitive GPA and the average is 3.4-3.5. Now, in grad schools, C's for the most part are not good. I know one program that requires you to retake a class if you get a C. If you still make a C, you are kicked out. Another program only allows 1-2 C's for the whole program (about 80-ish hours total). I understand some are not thinking about getting their MSN, but it's something to consider for those who are.

EtherFever · Aug 12, 2012

One of my instructors told me this "Look your nursing license isn't gonna have, I made A, B or C in nursing school. Its gonna say RN"

If you're even remotely considering graduate school, be warned, every grade does matter. If you're thinking CRNA school, be prepared to answer when they ask about your general chem & bio from freshman year...

Getting good grades now will save you a ton of hassle later if you decide to go for grad school. All of the people I work with that had "acceptable" GPA's

smusher83 · Aug 12, 2012

My program had over 350 qualified applicants (they met the minimum GPA of 3.25, had all pre-nursing courses completed and scored well on the TEAS test) and only took the top 45. When you are placed in a group that is all top performers and you are a top performer yourself, you become "average". As for the RN=C, anything below a 77% is failing and you are kicked out of the program.

tothepointeLVN, LVN · Aug 12, 2012

Nope people still get A's. Just not easy A's

nursingstudent2458 · Aug 12, 2012

My program had over 350 qualified applicants (they met the minimum GPA of 3.25, had all pre-nursing courses completed and scored well on the TEAS test) and only took the top 45. When you are placed in a group that is all top performers and you are a top performer yourself, you become "average". As for the RN=C, anything below a 77% is failing and you are kicked out of the program.

I never knew that nursing schools have such different grading scales. Based on what you said, I guess that there really isn't such thing as an RN=C.

WannaBNursey, ADN, ASN, RN · Aug 12, 2012

Well a C in my program is 77-84 B is 85-92 and A is 93-100. I would prefer to get A's, but I don't plan on beating myself up if I get an 84% in a really difficult class.

aachavez · Aug 12, 2012

I have a question kinda related to this.... Why is below a 78% failing? Not that I am complaining, it kinda gives me more incentive to work harder, and I am doing very well, getting mostly A's, and a few scattered B's. (an A in my program is over 94%). I've heard that many programs have this adjusted grading scale, and just curious to know why.

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Aug 12, 2012

B's were common but a's were unheard of.

If you talked to the B/C students in my program, they'd tell you the same thing. "No one gets As in this program, it's impossible, etc." But plenty of us had mid to high A averages. I graduated with a 3.82 from my program and was still only ranked 15th in the class. I'm pretty sure the highest GPA someone got in my program was a 4.0.

eleectrosaurus · Aug 12, 2012

If you talked to the B/C students in my program, they'd tell you the same thing. "No one gets As in this program, it's impossible, etc." But plenty of us had mid to high A averages. I graduated with a 3.82 from my program and was still only ranked 15th in the class. I'm pretty sure the highest GPA someone got in my program was a 4.0.

What was your programs nclex pass rate, It's 100% at my b/c program with b/c students.

keepmovingrn · Aug 12, 2012

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What was your programs nclex pass rate, It's 100% at my b/c program with b/c students.

I'm like you on that comment. Most of the student in our program are b/c students and we to have a 100% pass rate. To be honest I think that some are just taking the original posters question in a total different direction than it needs to be.

Wolf888 · Aug 12, 2012

I think there is a belief out there that if you are an A student that you are some bookworm with no social skills. You hear that people who tend to get B's and C's are more well rounded. I do not know whether thats true or not. But the way I see it being an A student is just part of the puzzle, you need a lot more to be a good nurse/member of society. In nursing school, you have to do your best given your circumstances. If you get an A then awesome, but if you skirt by with a C and still tried your hardest then thats awesome as well. What matters is that you worked and tried...

Stephalump · Aug 12, 2012

I have a question kinda related to this.... Why is below a 78% failing? Not that I am complaining, it kinda gives me more incentive to work harder, and I am doing very well, getting mostly A's, and a few scattered B's. (an A in my program is over 94%). I've heard that many programs have this adjusted grading scale, and just curious to know why.

I think it's just whatever percentage of the material a school believes a student needs to know to do well on the NCLEX and do well as a nurse if the school is thinking that far ahead. Really, it's just arbitrary. How much more could someone with a 92% average know than someone with a! 86% average? Knowing 78% of anything is actually pretty darn good, relatively speaking. The best? No.