Do C's get degrees?

Sour Lemon · May 15, 2017

I got a few Cs in nursing school (or at least one), but my science prerequisite GPA was 3.7 and I only got into my program as an alternate. I'm not sure what my overall GPA was. My program didn't care, so neither did I. I know it wasn't bad, though.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · May 15, 2017

I think that saying more so applies once you get into nursing school. When it comes to your pre-reqs it would depend on your colleges system and how strict it is vs the number of applicants there are. Or if it's a waitlist system.

caliotter3 · May 15, 2017

Each nursing program has its own policies. In some, a C in a nursing course, usually twice, will get you booted. In other programs you can obtain C's and move right along to that degree and license. One should still strive for the best grades possible because you never know that you might want to pursue a graduate degree, where a 3.0 GPA or higher is usually required for admission.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · May 15, 2017

Hello all, first post here! You know the saying, "C's get degrees?" is that true for Nursing? I have read some threads on here and some say yes, some say no.
To be more specific, has anyone gotten a C or more on a core/prerequisite class and was still able to get into Nursing school? Whether it was a CC or USC.
Also, if you did, what was your overall GPA and your GPA for your science courses?
Thanks!

Pre-nursing...well, that depends on the requirements of the program you were applying to. A school with more stringent requirements isn't going to look favorably on Cs, especially if there's a lot of applicants and/or few spots to fill.

In nursing school...that depends on the program itself, specifically whether they consider C to be a passing grade. A lot of nursing schools have C as the lowest passing grade, though they may change what percentage constitutes a C. In my ADN program, a C was 80-86 in the nursing program; 79 was a D and a failing grade. For the rest of the school, 80-86 falls under a B; 70-79 was a C.

There's a saying: "What do they call the medical school graduate with the lowest GPA? Doctor." So you could end up completing a nursing program with all Cs (assuming C is the lowest passing grade in your program) and still be able to graduate and sit for the NCLEX. However, graduating with all Cs won't exactly impress graduate schools or employers--yes, some employers do want to see transcripts and/or your GPA

And for me, I had a 4.0 in the pre-reqs and science courses; however, a few of the classes that transferred over from my non-nursing BA weren't As but they came over as transfer credits, not as grades, so they didn't pull the GPA down. I graduated the ADN program with a 3.93.

melsothavy · May 15, 2017

Understandable. I am currently doing pre-nursing at Fresno Community College in hopes of getting into their ADN program and they go by a point system(GPA, life situation, first generation to attend college, disability, etc.) now starting Spring 2017. My aunt got in with a 3.4, average grades and some WD.

Trauma Columnist · May 16, 2017

Moved to a different forum

guest517 · May 16, 2017

If C's didn't get degrees then 75% of college graduates wouldn't have theirs. Lol it may be slightly different for Nursing students depending on how strict their schools are though.

mindofmidwifery, ADN · May 16, 2017

I had three or four C's when I got accepted into nursing school. I had a 2.7 GPA and my school's acceptance system is based on first come/first served as long as the student meets the requirements.

futurebsnmj · May 17, 2017

Over here in Washington state, admission is really competitive. A lot of programs say 2.5 or 3.0 for consideration, but there are hundreds of applicants for every program. Even with my 3.9 something pre-req GPA, I was still worried that I wouldn't get accepted because of the volume of applicants. The nice thing is that it's no longer a competition after you get in. The bare minimum for passing a nursing course in my program is 2.0. (Of course, this isn't a reason to stop working hard and trying to get good grades, but at least there is wiggle room.)

Roasted.Peanuts · May 17, 2017

It depends on if your school permits you to have Cs or if they will kick you out after getting a couple of them. Honestly, you should just do the best you can if you want to keep your doors open for a Master's or doctorate degree in the future.

Thanksforthedonuts, MSN, APRN · May 22, 2017

A grade of C is failing and you would not be able to continue in my program. And a B- is 80%. In my program you NEEDED to have a 3.0 and above for both your overall GPA and semester GPA, which doesn't seem like much but it did trip up a few people in my cohort. So inactuality, you really could only afford to get 1 B- and the rest of the grades needed to be higher or you would be put on academic probation.