Do grades mean much?

[Zooey72]

I am a first year nursing student and I am starting to come to the conclusion that as long as you pass, grades really are not that important.

Don't get me wrong, I know they are important as far as being competent at your job; and I am going to get the best grades I can get, but I have yet to hear a compelling argument why passing with a 100 is any better than passing with a 78.

I had a high A average getting into nursing school, and I know for sure that helped me get in but now from how other people have talked (including my prof) it seems like although we do receive a grade the whole thing is almost like it is pass/fail.

I, like many people flubbed my first test. The second test I did well on, and I think I know now what it is they want from me now so I am not stressing about it as much. It was depressing after my first test because I had grown accustomed to getting A's, and that test pretty much made sure I was not going to get an A this semester. But upon talking to everyone nobody really thinks it's a big deal.

I think graduating with honors might look good on a resume, but other than that I don't know where good grades are going to benefit me. From what I understand getting into a bridge all they care about "did you pass the NCLEX". If I want to go further than that they just want to know if I have my 4 year.

Is there something I am missing?

[verene, MSN]

Think about the difference in information you have to understand and retain to get a 100% vs. a 78%. Given that you need to bring as much knowledge forward with you into practice after school the more you can retain and understand now the better. Don't think of it so much as shooting for a particular grade so much as shooting for a standard of education and knowledge. If you hit a high knowledge level the grade will come alone with it.

As for why still might care about grades - scholarships and other opportunities in schooling may require a minimum GPA in order to qualify. Graduating with honors may distinguish you when applying for your first job. Some nurse residency programs require a minimum GPA in order to even apply. You may want the high GPA if at some point in the future you want to go to grad school for nursing or something else. In short, a higher GPA leaves more doors open for you, even if you ultimately decide you have no interest in going through them.

[caliotter3]

Competencies aside, some employers use grades in the hiring process, and an advanced degree is going to have minimal and preferential academic standards for admission to the program.

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

They do matter more if you want to continue on later on. Some MSN programs will accept you if you do better in your last 60 hours of your degree.

But yeah, no one has asked me outside of the academic programs for my GPA.

[mindofmidwifery, ADN]

If you want to be an advanced practice nurse, you'll need a competitive GPA, at least a 3.0 at many schools unless you can get a high GRE score. So yes, grades do matter.

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

Don't think of it so much as shooting for a particular grade so much as shooting for a standard of education and knowledge. If you hit a high knowledge level the grade will come alone with it.

I agree and to add to it. Don't get caught up in the score on the test. You may have all the knowledge to get an A on the test but miss read a couple questions and your A is now a B+. It doesn't mean you are less intelligent by getting a B+ instead of an A. It is not the letter grade, but the knowledge that is important.

[FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN]

Nursing school is very hard. You should not become disillusioned if you are getting Bs instead of As, so long as you are doing the best you can.

Do your very, very best. Keep growing, changing, adapting and keep striving for As. Just don't beat yourself up if you land short of the A.

This is how you do well. You will not do as well if you adopt the attitude: "I don't want an A, I only want to pass." If you fall short of your goal in that case, you might not even pass!

In the end, getting your license is what matters most. But grades may help you get into a competitive new grad residency program. They may be the deciding factor in a job where you and another candidate are very close. They will help you if you decide to go to grad school. And they will help for scholarships.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Competencies aside, some employers use grades in the hiring process.

This. With so many new grads seeking that first job, a lot of employers--including one that I have previously worked for--are using grades to cull the herd of applicants. That doesn't mean a 4.0 will guarantee you a job or even an interview, but odds are good it'll take you further in the job hunt than someone with a 2.8.

IMO do the best that you can and aim high, but at the same time, don't let yourself fall into the "C=RN" mentality as an excuse to just skate through.

[Buyer beware, BSN]

This. With so many new grads seeking that first job, a lot of employers--including one that I have previously worked for--are using grades to cull the herd of applicants. That doesn't mean a 4.0 will guarantee you a job or even an interview, but odds are good it'll take you further in the job hunt than someone with a 2.8.

IMO do the best that you can and aim high, but at the same time, don't let yourself fall into the "C=RN" mentality as an excuse to just skate through.

Yes. Thanks to the sheep herders, apparently grades are now used to sort the wheat from the chaff.

But heretofore it meant little in the workplace as often cronyism coupled with competent performance proved to be the deciding factors in determining workplace success; if you want to call it that.

As such, few if any employers gave a hoot about school grades as those metrics of success were best left behind being solely relevant to the dust bins of academia.

[la_chica_suerte85, BSN, RN]

Some places have a GPA requirement of their new grads if you are looking to get into a new grad program. So, it does matter. If you don't want to do a new grad program then it doesn't.

[la_chica_suerte85, BSN, RN]

Also, grades are not the only thing (and, if your school is doing it right, Cs are sometimes the new As and that's okay). Leadership, volunteering and networking are truly the cornerstone to making sure your nursing school experience transforms you into a well-rounded new grad with a solid knowledge base that makes you very marketable in a terribly competitive job market.

[Kuriin, BSN, RN]

New grad residencies look at your GPA. Just saying.