Getting a 4.0 in nursing school seems impossible right? Well it's not! Here are 4 tips for getting straight A's in nursing school. They worked for me, and I know they will work for you!
1. Participate in class!!!!
This was the hardest thing for me, but so so so important. The more engaged you are, the more information you will retain. Don't be afraid to ask a "dumb question" because chances are that several other students have the same question but are afraid to ask.
2. Don't do all the reading!!!
I wish someone would have told me this my first semester. If you do all the reading, you will get burnt out and you wont remember very much. If your school offers powerpoints, study guides, or recorded lectures, those resources should encompass the majority of your study time. Remember: Study smarter, not harder. If you do enjoy reading, make sure you focus on bold terms and the tables/charts in the book.
3. Take advantage of tutoring and/or professors!!
This was the most important thing for me. Tutors are great because they have been in your shoes and often know what you need to know. Rather than reading 100 pages for homework, I would simply go to a tutor for an hour each day. If you don't have access to a tutor, meet often with your instructors outside of class. You will be surprised how much they will help if you just ask!
4. Find out what learning/study method works for you!
Learning: I realized that I am a visual learner; I retain information better if I actually see it. This is why I like powerpoints and youtube videos. You can find out what method best fits your brain at What's Your Learning Style? 2 Questions.
Study: Also, figure out early on whether or not you study well in groups. I personally study better alone because I am easily distracted in large groups. However, small groups (2 or 3) can be a great thing because you get insights from different people, without the major risk of getting distracted. Make sure the people you study with are "top students" because you can pick up really good study habits from them.
I hope this helps! Remember, you are in control of your grades and your future. If you follow these tips and believe in yourself, you can get straight A's too.
I'm starting my program in May, so thank you for the reminders!
A bit off topic, but do you think reading the objectives of each chapter, and doing the quizzes/critical thinking questions help with the amount of info that is given?
Congrats on getting into nursing school! What an accomplishment in and of itself!
As far as reading the objectives and doing the quizzes in the book, I personally never did but if it works for you go for it! Especially if you enjoy using the textbook, then I think that will be a really good thing for you.
I often used "quizlet.com" and Saunders online to practice NCLEX questions. It was more of a convenience factor for me. I didn't like taking my textbook (ok textbook on steroids) to the library so resources online were my best friend.
It's about finding what works for you, I am just sharing what worked for me :) I think any study is better than no study, but I also think you should study smarter and not harder. You will get an idea of what worksbest foryouduring your first semester. Hope that helps!
Specializes in Pediatrics/Developmental Pediatrics/Research/psych.
Well depending on the school you attend, a 4.0 may or may not be possible. The AAS program I attended has never had a 4.0 graduate. They've been around for 70 years and consistently 96%-100# NCLEX pass rates.
The program prepares great nurses. They do not graduate 4.0s. Currently I do advising for an RN-BSN program affiliated with a prestigious, well-known grad school, and I find that students who enter the program from the type of program that I attended have much higher success rates and get further faster because they work for their pass and know that the grade is not the end all and be all.
Also, nursing programs are all different. While we all take the NCLEX, we have different tests, assignments and papers. For this reason, I would be wary of advice given that is too general. Many nursing programs are very text-based. Therefore, I would highly recommend reading assigned text unless it is not required to pass.
Wow! You earn a 4.0 by doing these things?' That's awesome.
That's awesome you are able to earn a 90%.
Thank you! It was definitely one of the hardest things I have ever done but it was my goal so I stuck with it. And at our school we had to get at least a 93% to get an A (I think most schools are like that, I don't know maybe ours was different).
No one got a 4.0 in my program and if anyone followed your advice, he/she would have failed the program. Our PowerPoints were largely useless. In fact, I got As in some classes where I never looked at the PowerPoints and only read the text. To pass in my program, you had to come to class every day and do all the reading.
Well depending on the school you attend, a 4.0 may or may not be possible. The AAS program I attended has never had a 4.0 graduate. They've been around for 70 years and consistently 96%-100# NCLEX pass rates.
The program prepares great nurses. They do not graduate 4.0s.
Glad to hear you attended a great University! As far as my education, the private school I attended has an avg acceptance GPA of 3.7, 20% acceptance rate when I applied, and is 60 years old with a decent 91% pass rate. I wouldn't consider my school easy or even the most prestigious but I applied myself, worked hard, and got the grade I earned. Our program prepares great nurses as well!
For those who are preparing for nursing school. This amount of study time is real! lol You will have to work hard and put in long hours of study no matter what. I hope my tips can give you a sense of direction for conquering this rewarding education!
Congrats on getting into nursing school! What an accomplishment in and of itself!
As far as reading the objectives and doing the quizzes in the book, I personally never did but if it works for you go for it! Especially if you enjoy using the textbook, then I think that will be a really good thing for you.
I often used "quizlet.com" and Saunders online to practice NCLEX questions. It was more of a convenience factor for me. I didn't like taking my textbook (ok textbook on steroids) to the library so resources online were my best friend.
It's about finding what works for you, I am just sharing what worked for me :) I think any study is better than no study, but I also think you should study smarter and not harder. You will get an idea of what worksbest foryouduring your first semester. Hope that helps!
thank you for the input :) I have started doing the NCLEX questions and reading my books, I love how you are given rationales for every answer, that helps so much!
Can anyone give me some advice about A&P. I will be taking this course in Summer 1? What's the best way to study to pass? Please advise. Thank you
For anatomy memorize each anatomical part and their function, for the physiology part try to understand how that body part or system works. Once you have that down you can start making associations and connecting body parts with physiological functions.
recording lectures (if your school or Professor allows) and looking over material both before it is taught in class and soon afterwards (the same day if possible) is what has helped me most in school.
Randy RN ASN
26 Posts
Congrats on getting into nursing school! What an accomplishment in and of itself!
As far as reading the objectives and doing the quizzes in the book, I personally never did but if it works for you go for it! Especially if you enjoy using the textbook, then I think that will be a really good thing for you.
I often used "quizlet.com" and Saunders online to practice NCLEX questions. It was more of a convenience factor for me. I didn't like taking my textbook (ok textbook on steroids) to the library so resources online were my best friend.
It's about finding what works for you, I am just sharing what worked for me :) I think any study is better than no study, but I also think you should study smarter and not harder. You will get an idea of what works best for you during your first semester. Hope that helps!