Normal nursing grades..

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Hi everyone!

So, I am wondering, what are typical grades for an average nursing student? I got a 94 on my first exam, then a 70 on the second one. Both count for 20% of your grade, and now after doing all the math, I need to basically get a 100 on everything to get an A in the class. Are B's okay to get in nursing school? Please let me know what grades are acceptable/normal so I can stop worrying! Thank you!!

Specializes in BMT, Oncology, LTC/SNF.

When I see a post on facebook from a classmate, or on tumblr, about "I got a B on the test :(" or what not - I kind of raise an eyebrow. People who freak out over a B make me weary, honestly. 4.0 are kind of hard to keep up. And one of my one classmates called me Brilliant just yesterday... lol.

I have gotten C's before. My first C in my ENTIRE life was in Fundamentals of Nursing Practicum. Why? Because I got sick and missed one day of clinical - by ONE point I got a C+ and not a B-. I've been getting better in both theory and practicum, so I'm not worried about my grades. Getting anything above a C- is passing in my school, and I desire to pass. The GPA - it probably would look nice having a 4.0, of which I didn't have even BEFORE nursing school, go figure A&P and Micro, but I believe I can still get where I want to go with my grades. It'll only be seen probably by my first job anyway, and as long as I show myself true, I should be okay.

And staying above passing is the point, not to get a 4.0 :) Best of luck!

I was 4.0 student entering my nursing program I made C's and B's don't have time to stress over A's. With that being said my C's were 82% & 83% in some program this would be considered B's. I usually blow our end of course Evolve out of the water with scores over 1000. So that let's me know I have the knowledge to pass NCLEX. I can bring up my GPA after I complete my ASN and enter my school's BSN program.. C=Continue!!

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

If all you want to do is finish and take your test and get to work, you're fine, stay calm and carry on. Getting into nursing school is the hardest part.

If you want to go on to grad school in a competitive program (some NP programs and, definitely all CRNA programs) then you will want to do as well as you can.

Many programs waive the GRE requirement dependent upon undergrad GPA, for one thing, But above all, when selection is at a premium, the people who excelled are the ones who will get seats.

Before I got into nursing school my grades were between 85% and 90% in college, now that I'm in nursing school (university) I've dropped to a 70%. I'm finding that it's a much different way of learning and the work load is much heavier. I don't know how well other people in the program are doing, I only know the median marks which are where my grades land. I had a teacher tell me that a 71% on my paper was a good mark... I don't know... but I guess it's all good as long as I'm passing. I just hope it gets easier as I get further into the program, this is only my first semester after all.

Before I got into nursing school I was never an A student. Now that I am in nursing school I have been getting mostly A's and a few B's.

Thank you all so much for your responses! I am feeling much more calm and in place. As a fairly new nursing student, I never really thought of things this way. Again, thank you!!!!

Specializes in LTC/SNF.

At my school, 77=pass, so they tell us 77 = RN. Of course as an overachiever I aim higher, I got all A's my first semester of nursing school but I will probably get 1 A and 2 B's this semester. Do your absolute best and don't get discouraged. Most people are just trying to stay afloat for the first year.

It just depends on the program. In mine you need an 80% or better to pass. The class average is 84%. There is nobody that is getting an A. We have about 40 students in our class and most of them had a very high GPAs going into the program. Our grades are 100% test scores only. We don't getting any credit for assignments or group projects. Our instructor said those non graded assignments are to help us learn :/ lol

In my school a C is failing. You have to have at least an 80% (B) to move on to the next class. Most students are high B's.

Good luck to you. Just remember to do the best you can do! :)

Specializes in ED.

I got all B's and A's in nursing school, but lots of classmates got C's as well. I graduated from a bachelors program with a 3.8 GPA, almost all A's, and about had a stroke when I got to nursing school and couldn't make an A to save my life. I didn't get a single A until my third semester! It frustrated me even more when I had classmates making straight A's and I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. I only made four A's the entire program and was still selected for the Nursing Academic Achievement Award at graduation, go figure lol.

I asked a practicing nurse this question during my training at the hospital. He said that the people that freaked out about grades, and got "perfect" grades all through nursing school were actually less prepared than those who got through with Bs and Cs. Real life isn't the textbook, and real life isn't perfect. I told this to my CI, and she said the same thing, that the classmates of hers who got A's all through nursing school are no longer nurses. She said no one has ever asked her what her grade was in her first semester of nursing school. Even if you're thinking of advanced practice, the key there is going to be academic performance AND experience.

Specializes in Nursing Education, CVICU, Float Pool.
In my school a C is failing. You have to have at least an 80% (B) to move on to the next class. Most students are high B's.

Good luck to you. Just remember to do the best you can do! :)

At my school an 80 is a C, and not a high C either! I've made all B's thus far, except one C in my second semester. I am a person who believes that you should strive for the best you can do.

People say "C = RN", and I know why they say it, because it's true, not because they are lazy or lowering their standards.

If a C is what you get after busting your tail all semester, getting sick before test, having life issues on your mind while studying then how dare anyone think that a C isn't good enough!

I got all A's, B's, and one C during my prerequisites. As far as I'm concerned, C means competent and capable, so C are ok! I learned not to get too caught up in grades in nursing school. I know people want to go on into advanced practice (as I do), but the highest priority is getting through your initial licensure! I personally know some NP's, a PA, and a CNM that said in their initial degree or licensure they made a few C's, mostly B's, and Maybe an A. They had alphabet soup for grades and went on to be successful nurses/practitioners!

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