Grading system of Nursing Ed.

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I was wondering how nursing students are graded, and how easy it is to get a good grade.

An 85% in our program is a low C, and anything below a C is failing!

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
An 85% in our program is a low C, and anything below a C is failing!

So if 85% is like a C- what is a C? and are you saying since the 85% is a "low" (I am guessing C-) and you have to have a C does that mean you have to have a higher then 85% to pass the class?? What nursing school do you go to?That is by far the craziest grade scale I have seen yet.

I am jealous of some of these grade systems.

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So if 85% is like a C- what is a C? and are you saying since the 85% is a "low" (I am guessing C-) and you have to have a C does that mean you have to have a higher then 85% to pass the class?? What nursing school do you go to?That is by far the craziest grade scale I have seen yet.

I am jealous of some of these grade systems.

A: 100-93

B: 92-88

C: 87-85

Below 85 is failing. Grades are not rounded up.

So yes, higher than 85% to pass. You're allowed to fail once throughout the program, if you fail any two classes (even if they aren't the same class, but not counting gen eds) you are exited from the program.

I have a friend that is currently failing two classes at midterm!! She already got pulled aside to have it explained to her that if she doesn't pull her grade up in both classes by the end of the semester, she's out for good.:eek: But I do think she bit off more than she can chew- she's got a learning disability, two children, no dh or bf, and works. She would be doing a lot better if she had just gone part time.

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A: 100-93

B: 92-88

C: 87-85

Below 85 is failing. Grades are not rounded up.

That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. I seriously doubt the person who came up with that has any legitimate justification for such an unforgiving grading system.

The only way I can see that system working is if the material is scaled back enough to allow that kind of performance. In my program, there is no possible way even the best students could perform at that level consistently. I am smart and test well, and there are people who are even smarter and test even better, and they still can't make all A's and B's in our program. I maintained a 4.0 until I began nursing classes, and then my GPA dropped by 0.5, even though my averages did not change. High 80s and low 90s in all nursing courses, except now anything below a 92 is a B, anything below and 85 is a C, and anything below 75 is failing.

Grade deflation is a huge problem in nursing schools, imo. I have yet to see any convincing rationale for it. I'm sure nurse educators claim that it enforces higher standards, and maybe it does on the low end. What it really does is shaft people who consistently perform in the 85-91 range, because, in my program at least, an "A" in a class is basically unattainable. No one in my cohort has made an A yet in any of our classes, and the classes are structured that way purposefully.

In fact, on our tests, if a certain (undisclosed) percentage of students gets a question correct, that question is thrown out and never used again. So they claim.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.
That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. I seriously doubt the person who came up with that has any legitimate justification for such an unforgiving grading system.

The only way I can see that system working is if the material is scaled back enough to allow that kind of performance. In my program, there is no possible way even the best students could perform at that level consistently. I am smart and test well, and there are people who are even smarter and test even better, and they still can't make all A's and B's in our program. I maintained a 4.0 until I began nursing classes, and then my GPA dropped by 0.5, even though my averages did not change. High 80s and low 90s in all nursing courses, except now anything below a 92 is a B, anything below and 85 is a C, and anything below 75 is failing.

Grade deflation is a huge problem in nursing schools, imo. I have yet to see any convincing rationale for it. I'm sure nurse educators claim that it enforces higher standards, and maybe it does on the low end. What it really does is shaft people who consistently perform in the 85-91 range, because, in my program at least, an "A" in a class is basically unattainable. No one in my cohort has made an A yet in any of our classes, and the classes are structured that way purposefully.

In fact, on our tests, if a certain (undisclosed) percentage of students gets a question correct, that question is thrown out and never used again. So they claim.

I am not one to complain about performance standards, but you have a fantastic point regarding standards that are not justified according to a quantifiable end result that means better nurses.

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I am not one to complain about performance standards, but you have a fantastic point regarding standards that are not justified according to a quantifiable end result that means better nurses.

And those standards are hilariously variable. I'd love to see the statistical justification for an 85 being a "C." Students in that program may have to score higher on tests, but I'd really like to know how that translates to application of theory in practice.

I'm trying to imagine another major with that standard. Say, undergraduate physics. How on earth would that work? I know two people in PhD programs right now who made more than a few 80s on tests. Take home tests that consisted of two pages of what looked like alien writing to me, no less. And an 80 was a good score.

Edit: Here's a USA Today story about grade deflation at Princeton. They artificially limited the number of "A's" that can be awarded in a class via a top-down administrative policy. Nursing school effectively achieves the same thing via arbitrarily steep grading scales.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2007-03-27-princeton-grades_N.htm

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

The key to achieving grades should be mastery of material, not putting students in arbitrary competition with each other. Arbitrary competition is formed through putting a cap on the number of A's given in a class. That's crap.

While I appreciate the article about Princeton, you are also a smart cookie, and probably already know this: Nursing school is a different ball of wax.

Mastery of material is indicated, in part, by test questions answered at a certain percentage. Mastery is also exhibited through lab and clinical, which is subjective, within stated goals of clinical, on the part of the instructor. This is where things get a little dicey for many students. However, I believe that it can be avoided with reasonable instructors by preparation by the student and continuous feedback for improvement from the instructor. Students should not just sit in the evaluation and listen...they need to be active participants, looking toward the next step. Where should I be at the next evaluation? What should I improve upon? What are my strengths; what are my weaknesses that need to be addressed? Instructors should not insult and dismiss...they should characterize and suggest changes.

I have yet to run into an instructor that I would deem "unreasonable" in her assessment of me. When I do, I'll be back. :D

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I have only applied, but wanted to post the grading scale for my university. I should hear back in June!

Ours looks pretty standard and normal, btw I got these from the nursing student manual!

A - 93.50---100

A- - 89.50---93.49

B+ - 86.50---89.49

B - 83.50---86.49

B- - 79.50---83.49

C+ - 76.50---79.49

C - 73.50---76.49

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Wow, I always thought our grading scale was a bit unfair, now I'm positive of it!! No wonder so many drop out or fail out first semester!

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
Wow, I always thought our grading scale was a bit unfair, now I'm positive of it!! No wonder so many drop out or fail out first semester!

What school do you go to, well if you're willing to say.

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What school do you go to, well if you're willing to say.

MN State College- Southeast Technical

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
MN State College- Southeast Technical

I will have to tell my MN friends to stay away from there LOL I have one wanting to go into school there, but I am not sure of her location to this school. I have only layed over in an airport in MN.

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