I am so anal about my grades

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That I had a bad dream last night that my exam score was in and I got a 90. Yes, that was a bad dream. I was very upset! Isn't that sad??? Anything less than an A is NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

Kelly

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Our instructors have told us the goal in school is to learn and understand as much as you can in clinic, pass the theory, graduate, and pass NCLEX.

An all A student doesn't equate to a great nurse! Some may be all A's on test and not so great in clinic. Go for a well-rounded education- be open minded, attentive, be able to look at the whole picture!

I go into test only hoping for the passing grade of 71 and just the other day made my first B~ but hey that's okay because I know what I missed, why, and how to re-think the questions~

Good Luck

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That I had a bad dream last night that my exam score was in and I got a 90. Yes, that was a bad dream. I was very upset! Isn't that sad??? Anything less than an A is NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

Kelly

Same here. I can hardly even tolerate a low A. I don't feel the least bit bad about it either. :) It's way better than not caring about grades!

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Also wanted to add that high grades help you get into Sigma which looks really great on resumes and grad school applications. ;) It pays to be an achiever, don't let anyone talk you out of that.

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I bet not one single employer will ask what grades you made in any class!

They do care about your NCLEX and clinical skills~

A seasoned nurse told me she would worry so over her grades and discovered it was senseless worry that took away to much energy from her real focus~

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
That I had a bad dream last night that my exam score was in and I got a 90. Yes, that was a bad dream. I was very upset! Isn't that sad??? Anything less than an A is NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

Kelly

Don't let it stress you out too much. You don't need to be a straight-A student to become a successful nurse, so don't let the occasional B or C throw you off. But (IMO) don't put too much weight into the "C=RN" mentality and do just enough to get by either.

(before I'm flamed, I'm not putting down the C students who are honestly trying their hardest. It's the slacker C students who are putting in as little effort as possible to get through nursing school (and EVERY class has a couple of them!) that I'm referring to)

Don't let a 90 get you down: congratulate yourself on what you did accomplish (a 90 is still a damn good grade), learn from the mistakes, and keep aiming high--there's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to get As. Push yourself to do the best you can.

And like Bec717 said, be well-rounded: it's not just the books you need to know;you also need to know HOW to apply what you've learned in practice :)

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Lots of good points here! No, a 90 is not a tragedy :wink2:. But, I do want to continue my education after I get my ADN, so good grades will help me get into another school for my BSN and possibly MSN! And I know clinical skills are definitely important too, maybe more so! But I do work hard for my grades and I want to do the best that I can.

I don't look down on C students either, I know many who are working hard, but have other responsibilities which make it difficult. For example, I don't work, and I don't know how students who work full time manage! So they have my absolute respect and admiration for doing so much.

Thanks everyone!

Kelly

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I'm the same way too. I have all As in my nursing courses so far (in semester 3/4), although our first MS I test was a killer! I got an A, but only after they curved it (even with a curve, almost 1/3 of the class failed - 1/2 would have without). I walked out thinking I'd be thrilled with a 90 (a B) but wouldn't expect one. I actually scored an 88, my worst grade ever, but they added 8 points to everyone's. They do an analysis question by question after the exam, and if the vast majority of the class missed something, they tend to throw it out. So yes, I definitely understand where you're coming from! I want to graduate with honors and as an STT member, and since I want to become a CRNA, it actually is important to maintain an insanely high GPA. I also work very hard at clinicals, and my preceptors are constantly telling me I'll be a great nurse - so please don't think all A students are bad at "real world" nursing. Keep on striving for those As, just don't LOSE too much sleep if you do get a 90 on a test her and there. A 90 would be an A in any other major, so it's never a bad grade to get. Good luck, and keep working hard!

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Also wanted to add that high grades help you get into Sigma which looks really great on resumes and grad school applications. ;) It pays to be an achiever, don't let anyone talk you out of that.

Is this honor society available to ADN students or BSN only?

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Just remember, C's get degrees!!

Heh, actually, I pull high B's, low A's, I'm really too dyslexic tog et anything better. But as mentioned already, great grades doesn't mean a good nurse. I know of one woman who got fantastic grades and finished top of her class, yet her practice is so unsafe its really scary. One of the RNs she worked with once told me that if she woke up in a hospital and found that woman standing over her as her nurse, she'd want someone to hold a pillow over her face!!!

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

There is nothing wrong with being an A student and striving for that...it is certainly a worthy goal. It becomes an issue though, when you over-identify with being an "A student", what if you start pulling B's and C's? Would it tear you apart? Would you be able to maintain your self esteem and your dreams anyway? Grades are only a temporary snap shot of your knowledge...they are such an artificial label...have you ever wondered if you actually retained all that information, or is a lot of it gone a few days after the exam? (I know for me that unless that knowledge is continually reinforced, a lot of it is gone.)

I believe that being too focused on your grades is like trying to play tennis with your eyes on the scoreboard...it just isn't very effective. Especially if you fall apart with even the thought of a bad grade... give yourself a break, and just let yourself learn and experience your clinicals without soooo much pressure. (Have you ever taken a class pass/fail and found that you did great, because you studied to learn the material and not to get an A? It happens all the time.)

The MSN programs I know about want a 3.0 average for admission. So why don't you let the reins loose on yourself just a little bit, have a little more fun, concentrate on enjoying the process and see what learning with a relaxed mind does to your confidence and peace of mind!!

Good luck....from one who has been there. ;););)

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