Do employers look at new grad grades?

Nursing Students General Students

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I tried searching for this topic and the most recent one I found was 10 years ago, so I'm looking for some updated information. Just how important are you grades in nursing school? Our instructors always tell us, "C's get degrees", which very well may be true, but do C's get jobs is the bigger question. Do employers ask new grads for grades, GPA's, or transcripts? Would someone with a 3.8-4.0 in nursing school have an easier time getting a job in today's job market than someone with say a 3.0? I'm coming to the end of my second semester of six in an ABSN program and should hopefully keep my 4.0, but it causes me a lot of worry and stress as I'm always focusing or worried about school, grades, and finding a job.

I have been RN since 2006. Since then only one employer has asked for my GPA, and it was a place where they were having a "new grad training program".. I did not get the job, and I have moved on.

I am now APRN, and I cannot complain. Life is great, and the salary is awesome!!!

Like 200 K awesome annual this year!!!!

Don't be afraid to walk away from low ball and bad offers. Just work as hard during your job search as you did during school.

When I get in job hunt mode... I can apply to 100-200 positions in all the internet base search engine you know.. Linked-in, Glassdoor,....

Good luck!!

Hi, can I ask which field you are in?

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I am working in behavioral health.... In the Southeast.

When I round either I ask for $ 75-100 hourly.

or I get a per chart rate between $25-30 per follow-up and $50 plus for new patient.

Thanks.

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My hospital residency specifically requested official school transcripts, so they could see ALL of our grades. Certain residencies can be more selective and grades are an easy way to make cuts. Not that grades always make a better nurse and i did not make a 4.0, but some hospitals see higher grades as a marker that you will continue your education, which is better for the hospital.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ICU.

Absolutely. It was required information before applying and either a 3.0 or a 3.5 was the minimum. I don't live in a highly saturated area either.

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My job looked at my overalls GPA and I needed at least a 3.2 to apply. I had to upload my transcript to the application. So, some employers may ask and some may not. If you have a low GPA don't apply to jobs that requires high GPAs and you'll be fine.

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I've never been asked and as a hiring manager, have never asked. I have noticed it showing up as well as high school dates in resumes.

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Specializes in Pedi.

Nope, definitely not and I live in a city that's highly competitive. The hospital I worked at as a new grad was much more likely to hire someone who'd worked there as an aide or did their senior preceptorship there with a mediocre GPA than someone who didn't with a 4.0 GPA. My GPA was somewhere around 3.4-3.5 when I graduated (I don't even remember because I'd stopped caring about grades by the second semester of my freshman year of college) and I have a semester full of Ws on my transcript (had to medically withdraw from school for a year my sophomore year). I've been a nurse for 11 years and no one has ever cared. I believe my new grad job did request our transcript but that was after they'd already offered the job so it definitely wasn't a consideration for hiring, they were just confirming we did in fact complete the program.

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Specializes in SRNA.

My hospital didn't require it...My friend's hospital did.

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I don't think my first employer asked for my grades. I did put my GPA on my resume. My nursing externship (between junior & senior year) did require official transcripts.

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Specializes in Nursey stuff.

Prior to computer testing, before 1994, the NCLEX was scored. I believe you had to pass with a score of at least 1200. Passing NCLEX in 1988, my employer looked at the scores and hired the highest ranking; GPA wasn't the determining factor.

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My job looked at my overalls GPA and I needed at least a 3.2 to apply. I had to upload my transcript to the application. So, some employers may ask and some may not. If you have a low GPA don't apply to jobs that requires high GPAs and you'll be fine.

I follow this advice to an extent. I know why certain areas are weak for me and I avoid having to expose or "explain away" anything that puts me in a worse light than called for. One time I applied to a special program and interviewed with the Director with a copy of my transcripts in hand. I was cautioned by her assistant not to volunteer information as she folded over the page that made the transcripts not look so "hot". I was successful with the interview and always remember the good advice provided. 'Don't ask, don't tell' can work in lots of ways in real life.

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Any hospital that requires a minimum GPA, you probably don't want to work there. They're literally putting the weight of who they hire on how well they take written tests. If I'm in the hospital, I don't want a nurse who knows everything she has to do to take care of me, I want a nurse who does everything she has to do to take care of me.

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