Does a "B" stand for Blackeye

kmchugh · Feb 19, 2004

Dan

Step back, take a deep cleansing breath, and relax. One B, whether it is in pharm, chem, or in flight missile repair, isn't going to hurt you. You have a solid GPA, and a B in a pharm class is a respectable grade. Don't sweat this one grade.

Kevin McHugh, CRNA

BamaDan · Feb 19, 2004

Hi Kevin,

Thanks for the reply and the reassurance. I've just read up on the CRNA programs enough to know that the competition to get in is enormous. Since graduation is nearing it has really started me to thinking hard about the future and where I want to be ten years from now. I had a chance to shadow an MDA and a CRNA and I realized that it was what I wanted to pursue. Thanks again for the reply.

Danny

"I'd rather be a failure at something I love than a success at something I hate" George Burns

austinrobi · Feb 20, 2004

I'm with Kevin on this one, BamaDan.

3.98 is nothing to sneeze at! (CONGRATULATIONS!) Keep up the good work and get some hefty ICU experience, and you'll be very competitive.

Good luck,

Austinrobi CRNA

Roland · Feb 20, 2004

Bama, I'm taking a senior level Physics "seminar" class for fun this semester and several girls were discussing before class their horible weight gain problems. One said that she had climbed all the way to 130, and another confessed with exasperation that despite only eating lettuce and working out two hours per day that she had gained TEN pounds during her college years. Of course at two hundred and thirty pounds (hey it was 260 this time last year so give me a break) I sat in silence hoping that the professor would show up ease my agony with some equations I couldn't understand. Your post reminded me of that experience. Come on man, you've got a FREAKING 3.8 GPA (said in my best Glenn Beck voice)! I don't know what the "average" CRNA applicant has, but I would "guesstimate" that it ranges between 3.3 and 3.6 depending upon the school, and the year (perhaps higher in California especially at schools like Kaiser). You would probably be in the TOP ten percent of CRNA applicants at most schools. Thus, you should focus your efforts on other issues such as GRE scores (if applicable at the school you intend to attend), critical care experience, reference letters, and interviews. If you DON'T get into CRNA school I would bet you my Toyota that it won't be because of your grades (then again my Toyota has 300K miles so it would be sorry compensation for not getting accepted).

BamaDan · Feb 20, 2004

Thanks for the comments Austinrobi and Roland. I hope I dont come across as sounding anal about all this. I guess I was just viewing that B that I got in advanced pharm as the ultimate no no in nursing if I was going to pursue a CRNA degree. Like Roland said I'll focus on my BSN and preparing myself for the GRE and all that. By the way Roland it depends on what color that toyota is and how good the tires are on it...LOL. you've just got it broke in good at 300K!

Thanks again

BamaDan

vtwincrna · Feb 20, 2004

I am in CRNA school right now. I would have loved to only have one B. I had C's and still got in. It comes down to how bad you want it. When I got into school I thought to myself, there is no way I can compete with this group. However I will tell you that there are some in our class that had very high GPA's(3.8 - 4.0) and did not make it through the first semester!! "This ain't nursing school anymore" if you know what I mean. If you want it you will get it!!

vtwincrna

Roland · Feb 20, 2004

Just curious what caused the 3.8 students to fail out? It's not easy to get A's in most nursing school programs (just read my post about my wife having over 2,000 pages assigned on her first cardio exam this semester). Did they not work hard enough or were perhaps their science backgrounds insufficient (obviously you are speculating to a degree because you weren't "inside" their heads). If they had it to do over again what might they have done differently to avoid their scholastic fates?

deepz · Feb 20, 2004

Just curious what caused the 3.8 students to fail out? .....what might they have done differently to avoid their scholastic fates?

My guess (based on experience as a clinical instructor in the distant past) would be PRESSURE. Cue Billy Joel. Scholastic pressure, yes -- and much more so now than in my days as a student c.1966 -- but more especially, from my observation, CLINICAL pressure. The brightest students don't always prove to be comfortable on the Hot Seat.

deepz

vtwincrna · Feb 20, 2004

I had couple of very good classes in my BSN program. But I must admit that most of the classes are crap! Nursing diagnosis is a joke. Students fail out for various reasons. I was the last one of my class to be picked due to my old GPA prior to nusing school, before I got serious about school. I have three kids and a wife etc. but i am far from the last (grade wise) in my class. I don't say this for a pat on the back. I only say it to tell anyone out there that it comes down to how bad you want it. When I got to school, I did not know the area so I went with a buddy of mine who is a medical doctor to get my books. Every book that I picked out, he stated that he studied from the same books. This is part of what I mean't by "this is not nursing school anymore". Which is the way it should be. If nursing schools would pull their heads out... and cut out all of the crap, maybe their would be more respect for nurses. Well I better stop now before I really get going. What was the original question? oh yeah, Bamadan you will be fine!!!:rotfl:

Roland · Feb 20, 2004

Personally, I think all the nursing diagnosis and other "fuzzy" stuff in nursing school makes it MORE difficult than classes which are more scientifically orientated. Often there doesn't seem to be any "logical" answer that the instructor can even explain as to WHY it is correct. In the science based courses the instructor can usually explain exactly why your answer wasn't correct (of course you may still not always understand the reasoning!)

JSB · Feb 21, 2004

Hi everyone. I've recently found this board, and have really benefitted from reading some of your posts. I wonder if any of you can give me some advice.

I am an ADN student, and will graduate in June ranked #2 or #3 in my class. However, my GPA is not very good at all. I have all B's in nursing classes except for 1 A and 1 C! :imbar Yuck! And that's better than just about everyone else - there just aren't many A's. I do have all A's in non-nursing classes like A&P, microbiology, statistics, chemistry (I took extra classes to get a jump on my BSN). My overall GPA right now is a 3.45, but that also includes classes like psychology, sociology, etc. I'm pretty sure that I can get all A's in the BSN program I'm going into in the fall, because when talking with students and faculty at that program, they said I should have no trouble at all if I could do as well as I have in the ADN program I'm in. My CC's ADN program just has a reputation for being ridiculously difficult (yeah, try explaining that to the CRNA admissions committee!). Anyway, this past summer I did an externship in the MICU at a local hospital (18 beds between MICU, SICU & neuro ICU, and another 6 in CVICU). I currently work in the ED. In 2 weeks I start an ACLS class, and hope to take PALS soon too. Upon graduation, I plan to start working in one of the ICU's at the local hospital, but will be moving in the fall, so I'm gearing my housing search to hopefully be close to a large hospital, so I can get some really good ICU experience. What else can I do to offset my crappy ADN grades?