Published
I find this really annoying that the school I want to go to has considered a 94 or higher to be an A. And after talking to some of the Alumni I have found out that this program is really strict and you need an 82% to pass a class (they base their classes on a pass/fail). This is so crazy and no wonder they have such a low passing rate.
Not only that but this program have had this grading scale since 2008 and I can't believe they haven't thought to change it yet to increase their passing rate?? Does anybody else have to do deal with this in their nursing program?
My high school graded on a similar scale. I was surprised when I went to college and they had a 10 point scale for grading (100-90, 89-80...). I have no problem with nursing school using what was a "normal" grading scale to me for years anyways.
Also agreeing that this is nursing school, you want everyone to truly learn the material and do well in these classes. Below an 80 really isn't doing well in a class.
My school was 93+ for an A. I worked full time and was a single parent. I had no grade lower than 91 which gave me a few B grades. At first it bothered me to make a B because I'd always been an A student, but I do feel my school prepared us well. Only one failed NCLEX. Back in the day when we had to wait 12 weeks for results. That was a long 12 weeks
This was my grading scale
[TABLE=width: 301]
[TR]
[TD]A[/TD]
[TD]94 -- 100%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]A-[/TD]
[TD]90 -- 93%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]B+[/TD]
[TD]89 -86%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]B[/TD]
[TD]85 -83%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]B-[/TD]
[TD]82 -80%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]C+[/TD]
[TD]79 - 76%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]C[/TD]
[TD]75 - 73%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]C-[/TD]
[TD]72 - 70%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]D[/TD]
[TD]69 - 60%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]F[/TD]
[TD]59% or below[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
That sounds like my nursing school, but it was a 76 to pass.
[TABLE=class: cms_table, width: 301]
[TR]
[TD]A[/TD]
[TD]96 -- 100%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]A-[/TD]
[TD]92 -- 95%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]B+[/TD]
[TD]88 -91%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]B[/TD]
[TD]84 -87%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]B-[/TD]
[TD]80-83%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]C+[/TD]
[TD]79 - 76%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
I know that no one likes to hear old people take about "well back in my days" but when I returned to school in 2006 I was surprised that some of my school mates expected 90% to be an A in college. I also believe that grades are so instructor and school/program specific they are essentially meaningless as a broad comparison. After your first job interview or grad school no one is interested in your GPA, just in your competency.
bgxyrnf, MSN, RN
1,208 Posts
Since you have such disdain for it, why on Earth would you want to go there?
~~~
The obvious answer to complaints about the grading scale is to simply score 100% in each class and don't worry about the scale. It can be done, you know.