Grades don't matter! Are you sure??????

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I'm posting this because I am alarmed to see this attitude so often in nursing school.

I don't think people realize that they are limiting their future options, often permanently.

I fully acknowledge that nursing school is VERY difficult, that the grading scale is jacked up and it is very difficult or sometimes impossible to get a high grade. I also realize that everyone has tough semesters ( nursing school is very taxing on all aspects of our lives) and sometimes just passing is the best anyone can do.

But this does not mean we shouldn't strive for higher grades.

Unless you are 100% that you never want to go on to be an NP or get a masters in nursing, Grades DO matter very much. Every MSN program I have ever looked in has GPA requirements of usually 3.0- one I looked at will not even consider you unless you have at least a B- in every nursing class.

Additionally, in very competitive job markets, such as here in Minneapolis/St Paul, employers are starting to ask about GPA- I have filled out two applications that have requested my GPA.

We all know a high GPA doesn't automatically equal a superior nurse, but frankly with such a glut of new nurses every year in many job markets this trend is not likely to go away but increase- and yes, you may believe there is a zero percent chance you ever want to got back to school for a higher degree, but can anyone really say 100% how they will feel about their career 10 or 20 years down the road?

SO please, I'm not trying to stress out those of you still in school, but I'm pleading that you try for the higher grades if you can. DO the extra reading and extra time in lab, stay on top of your assignments, never miss class/clinical, and so on.........

Of COURSE grades matter. But the bottom line is that the type of testing in nursing school...and on the NCLEX for that matter...don't do a great job of determining if you will be a good nurse or not. And if you're not good at test taking, you're screwed.

I have a plate piled so high I haven't seen the plate in years. And I'm in nursing school. And I work my ass off and I got a C last quarter. Do I want a C? NO. Am I happy I got a C...YES.

I just think it's beyond judgemental and rude to make a snap judgement about why people are getting C's. And it's also rude to assume that people who say "C = continue" or whatever aren't working their butts off to get that C. Sometimes we cling to statements like that because they are TRUE. And when you give the best you've got and you come up with a C, it sucks. But you're still continuing, right?

Will you do the same with your patients? The diabetics who don't lose weight for example? Will you simply ASSUME that they are just lazy or don't care?

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Do they matter? Yes and no. Of course, they matter for graduate school.

In this market, with tons of new grads competing for less GN spots than before, lots of employers are using grades to cull the herd of applicants. Often they'll ask for your GPA and/or your transcript at the first interview. And a lot of new grad residency GN programs have minimum GPA requirements, some of which are pretty steep (3.5 and up).

But will good grades guarantee you a job? Not necessarily. Grades are just one aspect that's considered by employers--they're looking at you as the whole person/nurse. Even though grades may have gotten you the interview, they may give the job to someone with a lower GPA but who had something you didn't: certifications, experience, knowledge of the specialty...so don't rely solely on a high GPA to land you the job.

And of course, once you are on the floor, you're not going to be judged by your grades, but by your actual performance as a nurse. Having the knowledge is one thing, but it's how you put that knowledge into action that will count more than anything.

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Of COURSE grades matter. But the bottom line is that the type of testing in nursing school...and on the NCLEX for that matter...don't do a great job of determining if you will be a good nurse or not. And if you're not good at test taking, you're screwed.

I have a plate piled so high I haven't seen the plate in years. And I'm in nursing school. And I work my ass off and I got a C last quarter. Do I want a C? NO. Am I happy I got a C...YES.

I just think it's beyond judgemental and rude to make a snap judgement about why people are getting C's. And it's also rude to assume that people who say "C = continue" or whatever aren't working their butts off to get that C. Sometimes we cling to statements like that because they are TRUE. And when you give the best you've got and you come up with a C, it sucks. But you're still continuing, right?

Will you do the same with your patients? The diabetics who don't lose weight for example? Will you simply ASSUME that they are just lazy or don't care?

I don't think the OP was being judgmental towards people who have C's. I think the point is that instructors and such tell people from the start that grades don't matter. They tell them they just need a C. In return, people strive for C's, not A's. If you strive for an A and get a C and you did your best, then a C is great. Not everyone can get A's and there is nothing wrong with that.

But I know plenty of people who just do what they can to get by because they keep hearing C=RN.

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Some people work really hard and get Bs & Cs....others know just how much they have to do to "get by" and pass. there's a difference..

Try your best- that's what I tell my kids.

A poor GPA will follow you for the rest of your life- believe me. Got my 1st degree with a GPA under 3.0 and it has haunted me ever since. I kept a 4.0 in NS, but still have that old GPA hanging around!

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I didn't take these posts offensive at all because several times it is mentioned "not talking about those working hard and getting C's" They made it clear there is a difference. Everyone's situation is different and life happens. Some people do work their butts off and get c's and some people do rarely a thing and can get an A. Life just isn't fair :D.

What amazed me in pre-reqs. is those that quit studying all together as they had a strong enough grade to move on. WHAT? This one younger student (not passing judgement by any means) stated even if she fails the A/P II last lab exam, she will still have a high enough grade to move on and since it was so much work she decided not to learn the kidney, urinary, etc. Are you kidding, I still have to learn this stuff and hopefully be able to recognize something in nursing school. I asked that student so you don't think it will hurt you in nursing school when you are reading about the kidney for the first time...wow, as I am fearful all the time that I won't remember things, but at least I would have read and heard the terms before. She said she never thought of it that way :eek:.

I also think the statement C=RN or I have read C=Continue is just the encouragement that you can get your RN even though you aren't a 4.0. I can't imagine anyone striving for the C because from all the threads on here then you are one test or grade from being out and that would be high stress.

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"What amazed me in pre-reqs. is those that quit studying all together as they had a strong enough grade to move on. WHAT? This one younger student (not passing judgement by any means) stated even if she fails the A/P II last lab exam, she will still have a high enough grade to move on and since it was so much work she decided not to learn the kidney, urinary, etc. Are you kidding, I still have to learn this stuff and hopefully be able to recognize something in nursing school. I asked that student so you don't think it will hurt you in nursing school when you are reading about the kidney for the first time...wow, as I am fearful all the time that I won't remember things, but at least I would have read and heard the terms before. She said she never thought of it that way :eek:. "

Scary!! Yep- people don't realize that nursing school is a process and continues to build each semester, on previous knowledge. There's no memorize for the test and forget it later. So, if someone has that "just get by" attitude, it can really catch up with them later.

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

I make sure to pad my decent grades with amazing references from my internships, practical sites and instructors. Sometimes a well worded letter from the director of a hospital goes a long way.

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Specializes in Tele, OB, public health.

thanks to all the responses- yes, I was never trying to be judgmental, but the fact is I do know several people who did manage to graduate with me who missed class all the time, barely passed every semester.

I just think it's sad because they are all young women in their early 20's who will have those grades follow them forever and they have mentioned going on to higher degrees later on-

And the fact is I do feel like the message from instructors is that C's are just fine why stress even trying to get higher grades?

Someone else mentioned that people have been flippant about pre-reqs, and do I find that almost if not more troubling also. I know my school is talking about making the requirements for pre-reqs harder, from a C to a B-

I don't think it would be a bad idea. After all in the pre-reqs they use normal grading scales, so I know at my school at least you only need a 93% to get an A, which is a B+ in nursing....

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"What amazed me in pre-reqs. is those that quit studying all together as they had a strong enough grade to move on. WHAT? This one younger student (not passing judgement by any means) stated even if she fails the A/P II last lab exam, she will still have a high enough grade to move on and since it was so much work she decided not to learn the kidney, urinary, etc. Are you kidding, I still have to learn this stuff and hopefully be able to recognize something in nursing school. I asked that student so you don't think it will hurt you in nursing school when you are reading about the kidney for the first time...wow, as I am fearful all the time that I won't remember things, but at least I would have read and heard the terms before. She said she never thought of it that way :eek:. "

Scary!! Yep- people don't realize that nursing school is a process and continues to build each semester, on previous knowledge. There's no memorize for the test and forget it later. So, if someone has that "just get by" attitude, it can really catch up with them later.

Yep, I know lots of people like you describe. My personal favorite is "I could skip the final and STILL pass". Well, good for you.

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thanks to all the responses- yes, I was never trying to be judgmental, but the fact is I do know several people who did manage to graduate with me who missed class all the time, barely passed every semester.

I just think it's sad because they are all young women in their early 20's who will have those grades follow them forever and they have mentioned going on to higher degrees later on-

And the fact is I do feel like the message from instructors is that C's are just fine why stress even trying to get higher grades?

Someone else mentioned that people have been flippant about pre-reqs, and do I find that almost if not more troubling also. I know my school is talking about making the requirements for pre-reqs harder, from a C to a B-

I don't think it would be a bad idea. After all in the pre-reqs they use normal grading scales, so I know at my school at least you only need a 93% to get an A, which is a B+ in nursing....

My school is also working to make things harder. Used to, you just had to take the class and get a least a C. Now you can still take the class and get a C but you won't get as many admissions points as the person who got an A and those GPA-based admissions points are going to be what admission hinges on starting next year.

All those people who have fiddle farted their way through the pre-reqs but didn't get in this year are probably going to be panicking next year.

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Yep, I know lots of people like you describe. My personal favorite is "I could skip the final and STILL pass". Well, good for you.

Agreed. I know some of these people as well. It will come and bite them in the a** later on!

You know, I could probably skip my final tests and pass as well, but the thing is, for one, I want an A, and for two, I want to learn this stuff. I don't come to class for a grade. I come to learn!

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Grades matter, and so does experience as a CNA/tech/unit secretary/anything healthcare related. I hope incoming nursing students are told this from the get go in orientation. I've managed to stay in the B range for some time, but next semester I need to do better.

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