Help!! I'm shut out of the NCLEX exam!

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I appreciate anyone's input.

I recently completed my RN program at a Community College in New York State. My final GPA was 2.8 but the school won't "graduate" me because I repeated a class and got 77, they were looking for a 78. The last class in the program, can you believe it?

Last week they turned out a few graduates with 2.5 and what not, I have been capriciously kicked to the curb and have nothing to show for my 2.8 after 5 years of night school and $12,000.

Does anyone know if there is any process to still be able to take the NCLEX exam in New York State.

This really isn't fair- I appreciate anyone's suggestions or advice.

Nursing grading scale is different than other majors. At the school I attended in order to pass the class you had to make 78% or above. Anything under 78% including a 77% was a failing grade. It doesn't matter what the grading scale is for other majors at the college. Nursing major=nursing grading scale. So in your case a 77% is an F.

Since you were a nursing major you have to go by the nursing grading scale. Pull out your nursing student handbook. You did not pass this class. You can not argue this point to your school. You either have to repeat the class or attend a different school. I can almost guarantee that the other nursing program will have a similar grading scale. I have a bachelors in another subject that used a traditional grading scale. So a 77% would be a C. But for nursing the grading scale is set higher.

I'm sorry you are going through this. But you did not pass this class. You will not be able to graduate or take boards until you do.

What grade did you get in this class prior to make you have to repeat it?

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

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Specializes in Geriatrics, dementia, hospice.

Hi NurseCookie2013!

My heart goes out to you in this very difficult, gut-wrenching situation.

One option that might be available to you, aside from the Excelsior program, is to obtain LPN licensure in the few states that allow potential licensees to sit for the NCLEX-PN based on equivalent education. I believe New Hampshire and Oklahoma allow this under certain circumstances. California allows this as well; however, LPN licensure by equivalent education in California does not allow you to become endorsed as an LPN elsewhere. The licensure is valid in California only.

Anyway, should you be able to obtain LPN licensure with the education you have already obtained, you could then complete one of the numerous LPN-RN bridge programs.

Best of luck to you!

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Excelsior would not be an option as you must have passing grades. If 78% is passing and you earned a 77% you did not pass the nursing class and therefore you would not be eligible as you are not in "good academic standing" at your present school (since the low grade in one class made you ineligible for graduation)

From Excelsior:

"Effective January 1, 2012, applicants who have completed 50% of the clinical credit hours in an associate, bachelor's, or RN diploma nursing program are no longer eligible for direct admission to the School of Nursing. Individuals who have completed at least 50% of the clinical nursing credit hours with a minimum grade of C within 5 years of enrollment into Excelsior College will be reviewed on a case by case appeal basis. This appeal process requires submission of the undergraduate application, fee, official transcripts, and letter of appeal indicating where and how clinical skills are being practiced in a health care setting. Only applicants who are currently employed in a clinical capacity and maintained good academic standing (minimum grade of C in all nursing courses) throughout their nursing program will be considered in this appeal process."

So technically you are not being blocked from the NCLEX. You are being blocked from graduation/degree completion as you did not meet the school standards in every class. Your appeal was denied. You need to repeat the class, transfer to another program or find another alternative. Most nursing schools do not round up grades.

NY does not consider completion of a portion of a professional nursing program as acceptable to qualify for a LPN license/NCLEX -PN. Neither does NJ.

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Wendy- Thank you..... I am a licensed LPN. I was trying to make the leap to RN... It is very difficult to deal with .

DoeRN- I got a 74 the first go round, yes, I failed it.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

I'm guessing that those with the lesser GPAs who are graduates may have earned their status by attaining lesser-yet-passing grades in the general education requirements but made at least the minimum grade in the actual nursing courses. I really hate hearing of your position and I truly hope it works out for you! Got mine through Excelsior after the local community college wouldn't even hand me an application to their LPN-RN bridge program. :mad: Exactly 10 months after their refusal to even allow my fingerprints on the darn paper, I was holding my RN license in my hand, two months before the start of the very next bridge program at my local college, thanks to EC.:cheeky:

Good luck to you!!!

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Specializes in TNS, ECRN, CEN, TNCC.

Our school required a 77% (lowest C) on all exams and final grades to pass--84% was the lowest B and 92% was the lowest A. And this is good for nursing. I'm sorry you didn't pass, but standards are standards. Would you want a nurse caring for you or your family who just barely missed failing out of nursing school? Thus, the standards are raised above standard school grading (like English majors) so that even the graduates who have the lowest grades are still up to a certain proficiency level. This means better patient care, ultimately, and really is a positive thing for healthcare (and increased NCLEX passage rates are nice for the school, too). We had many people fail out of our nursing program based solely on the final exam of the final class of senior year for a BSN program--that's how close they were to failing. Does it suck? Majorly. Is it fair? Absolutely. Good luck on your future endeavours.

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Specializes in ICU.

At my university, an 83 was failing. You could only make 84% or above; you had to have a 94 to make an "A."

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My school has a one credit ATI course in the last month of school during your preceptorship. I had one classmate that failed it by three points. Otherwise great GPA great student. They are making him repeat the whole semester including all the courses he passed or he cannot graduate. In my experience you are in a losing fight. Repeat or transfer are your only options. Arguing other programs requirements will get you nowhere in a nursing program. Whether that is "fair" is a different issue and nursing schools do not tend to recognize fair as a concept.

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Specializes in School nursing.

A 77 when you need a 78 just isn't going to cut it, unfortunately, OP. Nursing classes have set standards that are usually introduced at the beginning of the course/program. It is tough stuff, but it isn't unfair. My program required you to get a 73 average on your exams - even if you completed all of the other assignments and they brought your average above a 73, if you did not get a 73 average on the exams, you had to repeat the course. Plain and simple. And it happened to a few of my friends. But after a day or two of wallowing, they picked themselves up and repeated the course.

Now in my MSN program, you need an 83 or above on exams and it is hard! But I know what I need, so I can't complain at the end of the day if I don't make the cut. I can just take a deep breath, re-examine my study habits, and try again.

(You also need a 95 or above to get an A in my program - tough stuff, indeed!)

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
All classes were passed- lowest grade was a 77-

I was thinking more along the lines of this. A lot of the schools/community colleges require a 2.0 and grade of C (70) in all their classes. My lowest grade was 77, the final class I took. There will be lots of people with 2.0-2.7 gpa's taking the NCLEX and I am not saying anyone is more or less. I just think I earned a spot at the exam table.

While that may be true...that was not what YOUR program requires and state boards require "graduation from an accredited nursing program/school"

I am so soory ((HUGS))

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

It sucks that all your hard work will not count because of one point.

Is there no repeating that class? I guess I would make an appt with the school and throw myself on my knees and beg.

I feel for you.

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Specializes in Medical Surgical.

I would also find the fine print the school has for repeating courses and if your appeal was denied but you feel you have a good grounds to be able to retake the course (I feel like you do, you are almost done!!) then I would think about contacting a lawyer and first of all having him/her send a letter (legal mail scares people) and if they don't bite then even take them to court. You were almost there.. I would be extremely angry. Your school should be supportive of you, not turn away from you.

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