denied BSN degree

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I am wondering if anyone has advice for me. My daughter's final grade in Acute Care was 72.5 when she needed a 75 to pass the course. She did extremely well in her clinical and was told by her clinical instructor that she would make a great nurse. We met with her professor and were told that she would not allow her to make up the 2 1/2 points by writing a paper or case study since she only grades on the four quizzes and mid-term and final exam. The dean of nursing advised us she would adhere to the professor's decisions since it was their policy that a BSN student be allowed to repeat only one course during the four year program. My daughter had failed Pharmacology by one point in her Souphmore year (took it over that summer and got a B) and that their policy states that BSN students cannot fail more than one course during the four years. Her GPA for the four years is 2.90. We are writing an appeal of the grade since the professor did curve one of the quizzes and the mid-term but will not curve the final. We're not holding out much hope. If they stick to their policy, this means that after spending over $120,000 my daughter will not get her BSN degree and was advised that she could take two courses in the Spring semester and get a degree in Health Sciences instead of her BSN. Our only other choice is to transfer to another college and start all over again, retaking all her nursing courses since these courses don't transfer! Any advice or hope from anyone?

My school has a similar policy, which is clearly outlined and restated during orientation. The only difference is my school's policy applies to Nursing coursework (NUR courses). I don't believe it includes Pharm, A&P, Micro, etc.

Good luck!

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The title of the thread should be: "My daughter did not get her BSN because she came short of the requirement". I wish I was going to your daughter's college, where she only needed a 75 to pass. At my school, when I get an 84, I am not happy because I know, I am only 4 points over. I wish your daughter will be able to analyzed where she went wrong, so next time she can take nursing school more seriously. From reading your post, her average was 72.5, that is like a C- in most schools, not close enough for you to even think about making waves with the school. It is not like she got a 74.8, where most professors would probably round off to 75.

I wish your daughter the best of luck with her future.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
The title of the thread should be: "My daughter did not get her BSN because she came short of the requirement". I wish I was going to your daughter's college, where she only needed a 75 to pass. At my school, when I get an 84, I am not happy because I know, I am only 4 points over. I wish your daughter will be able to analyzed where she went wrong, so next time she can take nursing school more seriously. From reading your post, her average was 72.5, that is like a C- in most schools, not close enough for you to even think about making waves with the school. It is not like she got a 74.8, where most professors would probably round off to 75.

I wish your daughter the best of luck with her future.

A 72.5 is a D in my school and they won't round up at all, for anyone! We all knew that up front.

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Specializes in 5th Semester - Graduation Dec '09!.

I agree with all the points of the majority. The bottom line is that there is a cut-off, and the administration has to draw the line somewhere. Grading for nursing school is very objective. As one of the other poster stated, there is a standard for all students and either you meet that standard or you don't- you either earn the points of you don't, and no instructor, even the nicest of them, will fudge a final grade to let a student pass.

The most important piece of advice I can tell you if for your daughter not to make excuses for why she failed, or that a degree was denied. Your daughter needs to reflect and figure out what was causing her to fail, and what she will do to fix it the next time. This needs to happen long before she starts asking to be readmitted to the program. When you are borderline failing you see something like this coming long before the final. Did your daughter approach her instructors about her grades? Did she ask for help, or advice? Most importantly during an appeal, it is paramount that she take responsibility for her failure, not make excuses, but rather talk about what changes she will/has made to be successful in their program.

Good luck to you.

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My school is the same way. Our passing

She wasn't denied a degree, she simply didn't earn it. It doesn't matter how much you pay, a degree has to be earned, it isn't bought.

You know, we really don't know a whole lot about this familyu's situation except what the mom has told us. Who are we to say the daughter can't fight her own battles? Perhaps she does! This family has spent over $120K on their kid's tuition, and they hope to salvage their investment! There is NOTHING wrong about that. Why wouldn't the parent step in to try and uncover other options?

Nothing will get accomplished if you don't at least try and ask. For sure the situation won't change if the parents keep mum. Perhaps a solution will be revealed if they approached the powers that be and discuss the problem. Nothing will happen if they don't try.

I wish them the best of luck. Four years of NS is a long, long haul to wind up with nothing at the end.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
You know, we really don't know a whole lot about this familyu's situation except what the mom has told us. Who are we to say the daughter can't fight her own battles? Perhaps she does! This family has spent over $120K on their kid's tuition, and they hope to salvage their investment! There is NOTHING wrong about that. Why wouldn't the parent step in to try and uncover other options?

Nothing will get accomplished if you don't at least try and ask. For sure the situation won't change if the parents keep mum. Perhaps a solution will be revealed if they approached the powers that be and discuss the problem. Nothing will happen if they don't try.

I wish them the best of luck. Four years of NS is a long, long haul to wind up with nothing at the end.

Hopefully the OP is simply providing moral support to her daughter as she files her appeal because while I agree that the student should explore her options rather than just slinking away I think that getting Mommy or Daddy involved is the kiss of death in a college setting. She is an adult and wants to be a nurse for Pete's sake. Just my two cents but I've never seen any good come from not handling things yourself.

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Specializes in Medical Surgical Telemetry.
The title of the thread should be: "My daughter did not get her BSN because she came short of the requirement". I wish I was going to your daughter's college, where she only needed a 75 to pass. At my school, when I get an 84, I am not happy because I know, I am only 4 points over. I wish your daughter will be able to analyzed where she went wrong, so next time she can take nursing school more seriously. From reading your post, her average was 72.5, that is like a C- in most schools, not close enough for you to even think about making waves with the school. It is not like she got a 74.8, where most professors would probably round off to 75.

I wish your daughter the best of luck with her future.

someone in my class, a dear friend, got a 74.65...passing was a 75, she failed.

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This family has spent over $120K on their kid's tuition, and they hope to salvage their investment! There is NOTHING wrong about that. Why wouldn't the parent step in to try and uncover other options?

There are many, many parents (as well as the students themselves) who spend this type of money on tuition and end up having little or nothing to show for it. My nephew was a fairly good student, graduated with a 3.6 from college, and hasn't been able to find a decent paying job since he graduated last year. This is the sacrifice that we, as parents, or we, as students, choose to take when we utilize student loans or any other type of loan to pay for education. Reality isn't always pretty, unfortunately.

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I am not sure if Excelsior still allows you to complete your studies in their program if you have taken most of another nursing program. I know of a former co-worker who was doing this. She moved, so I am not sure if she ever finished her RN degree. My daughter is in an ADN program now. It is very tough. The rules are pretty much the same as for your daughter's program. Every semester she holds her breath. Many have failed out, including several w/ degrees as paramedics. Several people in her program have failed out of others. They make you take the entire curriculum in nursing over if that is your situation and you are accepted into her school. It is very sad for your daughter. I can't see them bending the rules. I hope something will work out for her. It is great to support her, but I hope she handles things herself w/ the professors. Even though, she's always your kid, in the eyes of the school, she is an adult. My daughter had the psych pt. from He!! (literally-he thought he was Satan). I really wanted to call the school, but she is an adult (age 19). Her best chance is if they see her as an adult and capably solving her own problems. Best of luck. Maybe Excelsior would be an option for her or even some other online program.https://www.excelsior.edu/Excelsior_College/School_Of_Nursing/School_of_Nursing_Admission_Policy

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Let's stay on track here. Your nephew finished college, and has a degree to show for it. This girl failed her last class, and has no degree despite four years of effort. That he cannot find a job yet is not the same situation the young lady finds herself in.

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

One last thing ... another poster was right. You need to stop thinking (and talking) as if she has been "denied a BSN" that she should be given. In reality, your daughter "failed to earn" a BSN by failing to meet the standards of 2 separate courses presumably taught by 2 different professors. There's a big difference there and her/your language reflects an attitude that will not help her/your case.

Agree with the above.

Also be aware that many of us had to adhere to much stricter standards. In most nursing schools, any score less than 80 or 85% is failing - and also dealt with the "cannot fail more than one course" rule.

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.

Regardless of how this plays out, I hope your daughter will take away a very important lesson: Stay on top of your situation and do what's necessary along the way.

The time to start dealing with this was after her first exam when she first saw that she might fail out of her program.

I hope that everything works out for the best for your daughter.

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