Grading Scale

[jaylynn67]

What is or was your nursing school grading scale? Ours is 77% for a C, 83% for a B and 93% for an A. A few students are upset because it seems to lessen our chances of going on to get accepted into BSN and NP programs, since schools look at GPA's and not what percentages students received in school. Are most nursing schools using this grading scale? And if so, are other institutions aware of it?

[Britt.MSN2b.Drexel'11]

at drexel U we have a plus/minus system.

A+

97-100

A

93-96

A-

90-92

B+

87-89

B

83-86

B-

80-82

C+

77-79

[sweetpea123]

The grading scale in my BSN program is:

95-100 A

91-94 B+

87-90 B

84-86 C+

80-83 C

C is required to pass.

My classmates and I were very concerned with this grade scale as it is more challenging than the other departments on campus. And yes, if I am compared to someone who went to a school where they *only* needed a 90 for an A, then their GPA might look artificially higher than my 90 for a B. We also had issues with state scholarships that require certain GPAs but don't take into account the difference in scores required for grades in the different academic departments. The voicing of our concerns got us nothing but a pat on the shoulder. If you really want to know how graduate schools handle this issue, contact their admissions department. Or you can always work the grade scale into your personal statement i.e. "I met the challenge of the most demanding academic grade scale on campus by...blah blah blah". Of course, you're going to need a decent GPA for them to even look at your personal statement but you get my drift.

[Mommy TeleRN, RN]

You know it's not really fair that some nursing programs use the - system and some don't as far as getting into grad programs.

For instance I might avg a 92.4 and I get a B which is a 3.0 on a 7-10 hr course! Whereas Jane Smith student nurse gets an A- which is a 3.5 on a similar course. Let's say we do that all through school and now she has a 3.5 and I have a 3.0 and we both did the same on exams! definitely an unfair advantage.

It drives me nuts when i'm