1/3 of class in danger of failing first semester

sunshine9 · May 5, 2005

Yes I work full time and go to school in the evenings. I go to school in MA. Its an ADN program.

Just wondering if I was going to be going to the same place. I am going into a nursing program in Boston this fall. Very nervous...:uhoh21: I probably won't start any clinicals until the spring semester though. Won't definately find out until Tuesday when I go for my advising because I am transferring over. I keep hearing that it is a really hard program though. A girl from my A&P II class is going to *****, but I believe that she is going into the LPN program because of the waiting list for the RN program. I was trying to also figure out how much I would be able to work w/ out feeling like I was going out of my mind. Well good luck in making it through:rotfl: . I hope that everything goes well.

kizzysmom · Jun 20, 2005

We are approaching our final exam and it seems as if a third of the class is in danger of not making it. Is that normal? The mean average for the class is 77 and passing is 73. Every exam seems to be a life or death struggle, the gnashing of teeth and hysterical crying is enough to make a sane person crazy (OK I am being a bit facetious). How are the rest of you doing? I must say this has been quite a journey thus far!!

I am one of many who are about to fail this semester. From the numbers you posted, I believe we are in the same program although different locations. I have a BA in a different field so I felt comfortable going back to school. WRONG choice. If I don't get a 78 on this cumulative final I am out of nursing school. I have spent a lot of money on this, not to mention time and it disturbs me that we have no recourse. Also, I am about done with the petty viciousness of most of the staff. I would have made a great nurse, but I won't be accepted back into the program because of my attitude. I find it sad that so many have flunked out. No wonder there is a nursing shortage.

jemommyRN · Jun 20, 2005

That sounds about right. My first semester we had 81 students and lost about 30.

Maisie · Jun 20, 2005

This drives me nuts. I must have heard this a hundred times. Guess what I discovered? A lot of the people who spread this hysteria also tend to be the same people who don't study.
It's a myth that you can't get A's in nursing school. You usually hear that from people who flunk out. I've even heard it from teachers who flunked out at some point, and who had to repeat a semester in school.
The fact of the matter is: If you study hard, and you got A's in pre-reqs, you can still get A's in nursing school.
Yes, 1/3 of the class failing can be typical. But, also, one third of the class doesn't read the book. They don't have good study habits, and they're trying to skate by taking notes on the lecture alone.
That might have worked in pre-reqs but they actually expect you to read the book in nursing school. They test you on a lot of the reading that's not covered in lecture.
For some reason, this seems to be an alien concept to a lot of people but, if you READ THE BOOK you'll do fine. If you don't read the book, you won't. And I'm not talking about cramming either because that doesn't work with the large amount of assigned reading. You have to keep up with the reading assignments but, it's doable.
It always boils down to basics. The people who do the work do fine. The people who don't do the work flunk.
Don't worry about it.

Thanks so much for such a positive reply.

jemommyRN · Jun 20, 2005

That is so true (the READ THE BOOK) part. When I flew past prereqs, I never read the book, but nursing school is an entirely different ball game. I read all of my assignments and that's why I never had a problem when it comes to taking the test. I had to learn the hard way though. On my very first test, I got a C because I kind of skimmed the book and I felt really silly because the questions I missed where "right there in the book". I made sure that I never made another C again. No, I'm not all about A's but its the simple fact that I don't want to be borderline "C"ing it the whole way through and pulling my hair out at the final. I need to make sure I have cushion. My best advice is to READ THE BOOK!