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.
At my nursing school, we are required to pass each class with at least an 80%. We are only allowed 2 attempts at the nursing program. If we get lower than 80 in any class, it's a failed attempt. We are also expected to get 80% or higher on every quiz and exam.
I dropped one extra class last semester with a "W" because I got a 75% on a quiz in one of my program classes (15/20 points). I knew that my only option was to drop the unneeded class to make sure I got A's on the rest of the quizzes. I was working a lot of hours at the time, and I had to cut my hours, too. This next semester (clinicals) I won't be working. I know my school will not give us more than 2 chances, no matter what the reason, so I have to be really focused.
I don't think you have grounds to sue. Nursing programs are supposed to be tough. We want healthcare providers taking care of us who know almost 100% of the material. Not much less.
I'm really sorry you are going through this. I really respect those of you who are working as LPNs while going to school for RN. It's very difficult.
Per your schools' requirements you have NOT passed. A minimum of 78 is need to pass; per your comments and you got a 77. You failed to meet their requirements regardless of your GPA. You will either have to repeat the class if allowed, or start all over. I highly doubt the school with endorse you to BON for NCLEX.
Does it suck, yes..I have known many students that didn't passed because of a 10th of a point, they either had to retake the class or wait and start all over.
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
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.
Why should she get a lawyer? The school had a standard, and said standard was not met. If the school's policy does not allow her to retake the course then she will need to find another means to finish.
The school supported her by giving her a second chance. There are a lot of programs out there that don't allow you to do that.
NurseCookie, you aren't going to like seeing this, I know you don't want to hear it, but I'm speaking the truth: nursing schools have minimum standards for a reason. There MUST be a point at which a person's quality of work is so low as to not be allowed a passing grade, or graduation. You feel that you were robbed; I say that you merely fell below the minimum passing standard.
Would you feel better if you had failed by five points? Would that matter in your approach to this situation? If you say no, you could accept it better because it was a bigger gap, then all I can say is "imagine yourself at a school in which the passing standard was 82% for the class". You're upset because it was this close, I understand this. But it does not change the fact that you did not achieve the minimum standard.
I have used the word 'minimum' several times, and for good reason: when people are upset that they did not pass a test or a course, they often forget that it wasn't the difference between an A+ and an A, or an A and a B+. It was the difference between an acceptable grade and an unacceptable one.
I'm sorry for your situation, I really am, but you have GOT to stop looking at what you thinkyou 'deserve' (ie: "earned my spot at the exam table) and instead look at what you NEED TO DO to ACTUALLY deserve that seat at the NCLEX-RN. You haven't earned it yet.
See if the school has an online option for the class you need to take. Unfortunetely, a 78 is a 78 regardless of if you get a 77.3 or a 77. And it does stink, and it doesn't seem fair, but it is what it is.
The school has all your clinical hours that you have passed, all the rest of your classes, it is just a matter of this one class? And the school is not working with you to make this happen? Is there a guidance counselor that you can discuss options with? If you were to take the class through somewhere else, will they take the credit? These are all questions for your education advisor and/or guidance counselor.
If not, I would look at Excellsior again. See what classes transfer, there are online options for the one class that you have to take, and go that route.
I feel for you. I was in the same situation. I was in an ASN program and failed a class. I waited over a year to retake the class. I got a B in the class and continued on. I had a second failure in the last semester (passed all other classes that semester). I petitioned the review board and plead my case. They denied me taking the class over. I plead my case to the dean, no success. Finally, went to the provost of the university but he couldn't overturn their decision without an obvious bias against me by the school of nursing. I had 2 choices, start over somewhere else or choose a different profession. I was offered an allied healthcare job and was content for 15 yrs but now I have the urge to go back to nursing school. This time an ABSN program at the same school (no longer have the ASN program). 2 classes down (A+, A) and 12 to go. I have far more medical knowledge and maturity than the first time around.
Eventually you have to quit stomping your feet and mad that life is not fair and "put on your big girl panties and deal with it." Go through your school's petition process and maybe you will be lucky. If your GPA was 3.75 then they would have mercy on you, but you have a 2.8 GPA (B- avg.). Just because other students passed all their classes by the skin of their teeth doesn't mean that they shouldn't have graduated, the fact is that they passed all their classes and you didn't. As for other schools only requiring a 70% and 2.0 GPA, those are those school's standards, not yours. You knew the graduation requirements for your school. If you wanted lower standards then you should have picked a different school. Your school wants a higher NCLEX pass rate by requiring their students to achieve a 78% in every class and a 2.5 GPA (weeding out the herd).
The real world has expectations "you do this, this, and this. You graduate." There is no trophy for participating.
refer to your school's policies at the time of matriculation. that's the agreement you signed when you enrolled. if you genuinely believe your 77 was a passing grade and they retroactively imposed a 78 on you, please contact a lawyer who specializes in education issues. good luck!
The way I understand it, your school has to inform the NCLEX Gods that you have passed all classes as prescribed by them and are qualified to sit for the NCLEX. A 77% when a 78% is required would mean that you are not.
My final theory class in nursing school had 4 girls in it who had failed it the year before and it was the only thing standing between them and the NCLEX, but they had to wait an entire year for that class to be offered again. On the bright side---all 4 did pass the second time around and passed the NCLEX on the first attempt =)
I'm sorry, but if you got a 77% when a 78% was needed, you did not pass the class, and yes indeed, that is a bitter pill to swallow.
As explained by another poster, GPA has little to do with it, clearly those with a GPA lower than yours squeaked by with the 78%'s.
A very close friend of mine carried a 3.89 GPA, yet was failed in a clinical. She failed that clinical and had to repeat it, her awesome GPA meant nothing.
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?
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Yes, this!! Courses like A&P, microbiology, the communication classes, etc required an 80% to pass b/c they were considered general classes that ANY major might take (although realistically some are limited to dental, nursing), NURSING classes require a 78% at my school
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!
I may be reaching, but I was under the impression that OP was already an LPN by her use of "nurse" in her screen name....
michiganstudent
47 Posts
At my nursing school, we are required to pass each class with at least an 80%. We are only allowed 2 attempts at the nursing program. If we get lower than 80 in any class, it's a failed attempt. We are also expected to get 80% or higher on every quiz and exam.
I dropped one extra class last semester with a "W" because I got a 75% on a quiz in one of my program classes (15/20 points). I knew that my only option was to drop the unneeded class to make sure I got A's on the rest of the quizzes. I was working a lot of hours at the time, and I had to cut my hours, too. This next semester (clinicals) I won't be working. I know my school will not give us more than 2 chances, no matter what the reason, so I have to be really focused.
I don't think you have grounds to sue. Nursing programs are supposed to be tough. We want healthcare providers taking care of us who know almost 100% of the material. Not much less.
I'm really sorry you are going through this. I really respect those of you who are working as LPNs while going to school for RN. It's very difficult.