Don't Blow the Curve !!!

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This is just a vent but, I'm sick of hearing this.

Like I'm supposed to intentionally start answering questions wrong just so other people can pass?

I'm a former anal A student who finally got used to getting B's in nursing school. Now that I'm in the final semester I've accepted the realities of testing which is: the teacher's aren't going to tell you everything you need to know, and you're not going to find it all in the assigned reading either.

So what did I do about it? I transcribe the lectures verbatum so I better understand how the teacher thinks. If I understand how the teacher thinks I may not know all the answers but, it helps me ... for lack of a better term ... "game" the test. And, of course, I do all of the reading.

I also do at least 200-400 NCLEX questions for each test to hopefully get the material they don't tell you about. And it helps me discipline myself for things like ... making sure I'm paying attention and reading the question right.

In other words ... I work my butt off.

The result is ... I've been doing fairly well with high B's and occassional A's. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal because there are other students who usually score higher than I do. But, apparently, I've been getting some of the highest grades and a lot of people are failing ...

Since the last exam is an NCLEX predictor and it's going to be curved, everybody's pressuring me not to blow it for them since they may not graduate.

Why don't these people just get to work? That's what I did.

Yes ... I know ... I shouldn't have told people my scores. But, quite frankly, I didn't think my scores were that great ... especially since I used to get straight A's before nursing school. Little did I know that many others were failing for the first time.

I only told a couple of friends but, apparently, word spread like wildfire.

My bad.

:typing

Sorry Lizz you do come across as "haughty". With someone of your obvious intelligence I find it hard to believe #1. that it didn't occur to you until the "final"---that sharing good grades especially where a curve is concerned may not be such a wise decision. #2. that you didn't know that your grades were "that great". Somehow I find it hard to paint you as the victim ....My advice, keep up the good work & keep your mouth shut if you don't want to deal with your classmates and their unreasonable requests.......I have a feeling though that you like the attention.

Yep ... I love the attention. :rolleyes:

I also love it when people criticize who obviously don't read the previous posts: where I readily acknowledged it was a mistake to say anything.

I'm making the same grades I always have. It didn't cause a problem until now.

We have three more exams until the final NCLEX predictor. So no ... it's not right before the final, which is actually in December.

That's the only exam that will be curved and, initially, I was told by one of the teachers that it wasn't going to be curved. I did not know that the teachers had changed their mind until after.

I really was just venting but ... maybe the moderators should just shut the thread down. I get enough of this schoolyard BS in class ...

Enough already. It just goes to show how childish people can be ... especially in nursing school. No matter what age they are ... it's just like kindergarten all over again.

I'll just get back to what I do best ... studying.

:typing

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.
I really was just venting but ... maybe the moderators should just shut the thread down. I get enough of this schoolyard BS in class ...

Enough already. It just goes to show how childish people can be ... especially in nursing school. No matter what age they are ... it's just like kindergarten all over again.

I'll just get back to what I do best ... studying.

Hopefully what you're also doing is learning to be empathetic and understanding of others....as several of us were discussing in clinicals yesterday, someone can be the smartest academically and not be a good nurse...people skills, caring, and understanding rank right up there with skills.....I believe people would prefer to have a nurse who can treat them like a fellow human being than looking down their nose at them because they don't understand something that's happening to them...

And I resent the statement that we're childish....this is not kindergarten; this is fellow NS trying to help you see the other side of the story....you can choose to try to understand or not...chances are you might not find this information in your books....unless you're looking for it....

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Hopefully what you're also doing is learning to be empathetic and understanding of others....as several of us were discussing in clinicals yesterday, someone can be the smartest academically and not be a good nurse...people skills, caring, and understanding rank right up there with skills.....I believe people would prefer to have a nurse who can treat them like a fellow human being than looking down their nose at them because they don't understand something that's happening to them...

And I resent the statement that we're childish....this is not kindergarten; this is fellow NS trying to help you see the other side of the story....you can choose to try to understand or not...chances are you might not find this information in your books....unless you're looking for it....

The other side of the story? The story is people want me to intentionally blow an exam so they can pass. What other side can there be? That I should be more sympathetic to people who want me to intentionally blow an exam so they can pass without doing much work?

Am I supposed to give them all of my notes and let them take advantage of me so they can continually skip class? If they're skipping class, they deserve to fail, plain and simple.

But ... as is so typical in nursing school .... now, of course, I'm the villain because I make decent grades ... Now I'm "haughty" and "looking down my nose at them." Afterall ... it's got to be my fault ... Right? In my opinion, that's extremely childish.

Of course, we can't talk about the fact that maybe those people are jealous and resent the fact that other people make good grades. So they come up with the mantra of good students don't always make the best nurses ... etc.

Personally ... I'd much rather have a jerk for nurse (or doctor for that matter) who knows what they're doing. I have to get knee surgery when I graduate. My MD has great bedside manner but, as it turns out, he's not very good at the particular surgery I need.

So I'm switching to a doc who doesn't have great bedside manner but knows what he's doing. Do I care? No. I need to get my knee fixed ... and I don't want surgery complications.

Nothing else matters, at least to me.

:typing

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Sorry Lizz you do come across as "haughty". With someone of your obvious intelligence I find it hard to believe #1. that it didn't occur to you until the "final"---that sharing good grades especially where a curve is concerned may not be such a wise decision. #2. that you didn't know that your grades were "that great". Somehow I find it hard to paint you as the victim ....My advice, keep up the good work & keep your mouth shut if you don't want to deal with your classmates and their unreasonable requests.......I have a feeling though that you like the attention.

Whoa, what's with the vitriol?

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Well Lizz - I say kick butt, take names, and keep right on trucking. You won't do them any favors by being "empathetic and sensitive to their feelings." They are not patients and who cares what "they" think. Personally, I am a formal 4.0 who hit nursing school and went to C's quickly. I found out who was getting the best grades and asked them what they did to get them - THEY did ME a favor by helping ME out. The next semester was low B. Now I am high B, my last semester I am shooting for an A. I guess the part of nurses eating thier own starts in school and just keeps rolling huh. Congrats on your scores. I hope you do well on your final and if you have any pointers - please share with us.!!!! lol

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Whoa, what's with the vitriol?

Funny----- I had to look it up.

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Yeah ... I did share my study techniques. Then they started asking for my transcripts. Then they figured they could skip class because I transcribed everything ...

I had to end that real quick. It really got out of hand.

:typing

Let me clarify---

At my school many of us shared notes. It was a sort of us v/s them mentality. It got us through. Not once did anyone police others as far as absences,--- or have that if I come to class then everyone should mentality. If someone was absent we assumed something must be wrong & called to check on them. Nursing school is stressful & some people are on the brink of giving up. A phone call, a word of encouragement is nice. Witholding notes (that you already did) from people because they missed too many classes seems unreasonable.-- But then again they are your notes & you can do with them as you choose.

It's ok to vent and to post, that's what this website is for-- I am very sorry if I came across as acidic in my first post; however, I stand by what I said- I would only change the packaging.

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no grading curves at our adn program. so no competition with other students required.

concentrate on your own work and your own success.

takes unnecessary enery to focus on how other people are doing. who cares? better to focus positive energy on yourself. because what is important is that you finish the program, take the nclex and pass, and start on your career.

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Curves in nursing school??!?!!?! I am shocked. Who here would want a nurse that passed because of a CURVE?! Not me! ....in fact in my school you have to get a 92 to get an A...

When people as me how I did on my exam I answer them with a broad answer. I take the "oh, I did pretty good" Or "I did WAAAY better then I thought I did" That way you get to pass on that your doing good but your not rubbing your 100 into everyone's face. I don't need everyone to know that I was the one with the perfect score. My instructor knows, and I know and that that really matters to me. :) Besides--the more people that know your doing good the more unscheduled tutoring you will be doing :) Helping a little bit is fine by me---but I don't want to be stuck reteaching the course to someone who is never going to get it. You can only help so much

Just my opinion- not saying its right.

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Let me clarify---

At my school many of us shared notes. It was a sort of us v/s them mentality. It got us through. Not once did anyone police others as far as absences,--- or have that if I come to class then everyone should mentality. If someone was absent we assumed something must be wrong & called to check on them. Nursing school is stressful & some people are on the brink of giving up. A phone call, a word of encouragement is nice. Witholding notes (that you already did) from people because they missed too many classes seems unreasonable.-- But then again they are your notes & you can do with them as you choose.

We're in a situation where we have three hours of lecture before every test. Because I was generous with notes, people figured they could stay home, study and just show up for the test only ... while I sat through lecture ...

Couldn't I use the extra study time also? Not once did they offer to let me get some extra study time and cover lecture notes on my behalf.

So I quit doing it. It's been pretty much the same thing ever since pre-reqs. Every time I've helped people they abused it. I realize that things come up and I do want to help people but, they always end up taking advantage of the situation ...

So no, I don't do it anymore.

:typing

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Geez I wish I could find 200-400 questions related to what we're learning and going to be tested on. For me... I'm lucky if I can 100 specific questions on the material.

I focus on NCLEX questions that relate to the test material. So ... I like Saunders, Lippincott 3500, Mosby and Davis because they have NCLEX questions broken down by subject matter. I like to use the computer disks that come with the books because you can go through questions like the computer tests we have at school.

Between those four NCLEX disks, I can usually dig up anywhere between 200-400 questions on whatever we're being tested on. Sometimes it's a pain ... like we just had a test on the liver and those questions were buried in the GI sections of the NCLEX disks. So, I just skipped all the questions that weren't related to the liver.

I definitely get a lot more material that from those disks that the teachers and the books don't mention but, nevertheless, tends to show up on our tests. The practice questions also me avoid stupid mistakes ... like not reading the question carefully.

:typing

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we're in a situation where we have three hours of lecture before every test. because i was generous with notes, people figured they could stay home, study and just show up for the test only ... while i sat through lecture ...

couldn't i use the extra study time also? not once did they offer to let me get some extra study time and cover lecture notes on my behalf.

so i quit doing it. it's been pretty much the same thing ever since pre-reqs. every time i've helped people they abused it. i realize that things come up and i do want to help people but, they always end up taking advantage of the situation ...

so no, i don't do it anymore.

:typing

i agree wholeheartedly! there are "toxic" students who will sap your energy. identify them quickly, be courteous and respectful of everyone, but spend minimal time with these students.

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