First Semester Fundamentals Student -- Impossible to make an A?

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Hi,

I am a first semester nursing student at community college in Los Angeles. I have the highest grade in my fundamentals class which is an 88% so far. We haven't taken the final exam yet but, that is the highest grade average overall after 4 module tests, quizzes, and presentations. I find it strange that our class has such a narrow distribution of grades. All of the 23 students in the class have grades between 70 - 88 %. A 75% to 79% is a C. Below C is failing. A B grade is 80% - 89% and an A is 90% and above. Only two people in the class are below 75%. So, that means 21 people have grades that are between 75% - 88%.

I wanted to talk to other students to see if this is normal or if it seems odd to you. I have been getting straight A's for the past 2 years. I have a 4.0 GPA prior to entering the nursing program. Mind you, I took all of these courses at another community college. I know I am capable of getting an A because I work hard, and am above average intelligence. So I am wondering if the teacher, or method of evaluation is is the problem.

Is it normal to have such a small standard deviation in a nursing program? Could my lower grade be related to the new NCLEX style of testing? I have heard people saying that no one gets A's at this school I am at--so if that is true, I definitely want to transfer. What have you found in your experiences? Are there many students in your classes able to make A's?

Thank you for your input.

Hi Quienes,

I am taking Intro to Pharm right now as an 8 week course. Probably the reason some people aren't doing well in it is because the final grade is only divided up into three components: a midterm exam (35%), a research paper (30%), and a cumulative final exam (35%).

I am taking it concurrently with Fundamentals (a 16 week class) and am able to keep up with both classes, another 16 week elective and work about 20 hours per week. I didn't find the midterm to be difficult actually. I got a 90 on it. But, I was the only one who scored a A.

I think your success in the course over the Winter depends on how much else you have going on. If its the only course you are taking and aren't working, I think it is totally doable. But, it depends on you as well. Some people handle 16 week courses better because the workload is more spread out. If you are working, enroll in the class and see how the pace of the class feels. If it feels too quick for you, see if you can cut back on some work hours (if you are able) for the 5 week duration of the course. Or you can see how you do on the midterm, and if it isn't going too well, withdraw before the deadline (wish I believe is after the midterm) and retake it in the Spring.

You might also consider taking it as an 8 week course at ECC - Compton in Spring from April to June. You might prefer to deal with it for only half of the semester instead of the whole time. I understand that we also have the option to enroll in a 3 unit Pharmacology course at another campus instead of taking the 1 unit intro course and then the 2 unit advanced course at ECC. Some 3 unit pharm classes are offered online as well, so you could do the homework and class work around your current clinical/lecture hours.

Let me know what you decide. Goodluck!

Our Fund instructor brags that a B is the best we'll probably do in her class. Last semester, she gve ZERO "A" and the semester before that, only one "A".

If everyone in a class is getting B's and C's, I don't understand why a teacher wouldn't grade on a curve. Do Nursing programs ever do that? It seems fitting when no one in a class has an A.

Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
If everyone in a class is getting B's and C's, I don't understand why a teacher wouldn't grade on a curve. Do Nursing programs ever do that? It seems fitting when no one in a class has an A.

Our school doesn't. Non nursing classes might but their are no exceptions in nursing school at my school.

Specializes in Med/Surg.

I got an A in Fundamentals....so, yes, it is definitely possible!

Specializes in PICU/Pedi.

In my school, an A is 90-100, B is 80-89, C is 70-79. Even so, alot of people aren't doing well in my class. I have had a 4.0 until now, including last semester when I took Intro to Nursing and Skills (no clinicals). I study pretty much the same as I have before, but it is getting harder and harder to make those A's. The NCLEX-style exams probably has alot to do with it, but I'm getting used to them. My med-surg professor just writes really hard exams! I always miss questions over things I should know better on just because I over-think the questions. So now I may get an A in med-surg, and will get one in Pharmacology, but it was harder to get those A's. Definitely geting a B in clinicals, though. Oh well!

I have heard of people in my program making A's, though, so I know it's not imposssible...unless you just have one of those professors that won't give them! (don't you hate that?!)

I got an A in Fundamentals....so, yes, it is definitely possible!

Hi RhodyGirl,

I am curious, what school do you go to?

Thanks!

If I get an 84 or above on my final exam, I will have an A- in Fundamentals. I think I can do it.. I got 90s on both of my other exams so I'm hoping with lots of studying, I can pull at least a B on the final!

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