How important is your g.p.a

NurseThis21, BSN, RN · Aug 23, 2009

Where I am (Chicago), most of the hospitals could care less about your GPA. They just want to know if you passed NCLEX and have a license. However, since the economy is in the toilet and about to get flushed, some students have put their GPA on their resume. However, this is only because they have a GPA of 3.5 or above. I'm guessing that helps since it signifies you graduating with honors and thus was a very good student.

When it come to recruiters looking at your academic history, I think that as long you passed your required courses then you should be fine. However, if you want to work in Med/Surg, but got a D+ in the class, then......well, you know, you may just have to really sell the reason why you got that grade, but now you understand the information and willing to learn from the experience.

All in all, grades aren't as important anymore, but if you're looking into attending a prestigious hospital or a highly popular new grad program then I think you better have a darn good essay/interview to boost your brownie points!

Hope this helps!

NurseThis21, BSN, RN

UIC Alumna :nurse:

motivated2nurse · Aug 23, 2009

Umm............I think the saying is "what is the difference between a nurse with an A average and a nurse with a C average. Nothing they are both nurses". I think most hospitals only care if you pass the NCLEX and is licenced to work.

chaxanmom · Aug 23, 2009

It depends where you want to work. When I spoke with a nurse recruiter at Georgetown the first question she asked was what my GPA was. I'm not sure I would want to work at a hospital that only cared that their nurses met the bare minimum requirements.

chaxanmom · Aug 23, 2009

Just curious...what's the deal with a C in Fundamentals?

shynurse · Aug 23, 2009

Actually chaxanmom i have no excuse the nursing program that i am attending have very hard test they are not NCLEX style at all & althoug its just a Associates degree program the design the test (in my opponion) to eliminate people. I should've done better but i didnt have the drive to do my best until this very last semester. What are ur grades like @ what type of program are u attending (include g.p.a if udont mind)

GoldenFire5 · Aug 23, 2009

In this economy, I believe grades (among other things) do matter. In most areas, the hospitals have many more applicants than openings for new grads. They have to have some way of picking and choosing. In my new grad class, it was obvious that our group was very bright.

If the classes above are the only ones you've taken so far, then you still have time to get your grades up. Study hard.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Aug 23, 2009

In this economy, I believe grades (among other things) do matter. In most areas, the hospitals have many more applicants than openings for new grads. They have to have some way of picking and choosing. In my new grad class, it was obvious that our group was very bright.
If the classes above are the only ones you've taken so far, then you still have time to get your grades up. Study hard.

:yeahthat:

In all but one interview that I've had so far, the interviewer asked about my GPA and/or transcript....for a couple of those interviews, those were the first words out of their mouths.

So while grades don't really matter when you're working on the floor or at your job...with the market the way it is right now, grades seem to matter a whole lot as you try to get the job in the first place.

chaxanmom · Aug 23, 2009

Actually chaxanmom i have no excuse the nursing program that i am attending have very hard test they are not NCLEX style at all & althoug its just a Associates degree program the design the test (in my opponion) to eliminate people. I should've done better but i didnt have the drive to do my best until this very last semester. What are ur grades like @ what type of program are u attending (include g.p.a if udont mind)

I have a 3.91 in a BSN program but the reason I asked wasn't to make you feel bad. Sometimes people who do well in prereq's hit a brick wall when they start having to deal with NCLEX style questions because they are require a totally different strategy than in other types of classes.

As far as not having the drive to do your best until the end...make sure you mention that in the interview if you are applying at a facility where GPA has a strong impact in whether you get the job or not. For grad school you can address it in your essay. Did your grades go up this last semester? The job I'm interviewing for this week asks for a transcript so in your case you would be able to show that your grades went up at the end. You have options. :)

shynurse · Aug 23, 2009

I have a 3.91 in a BSN program but the reason I asked wasn't to make you feel bad. Sometimes people who do well in prereq's hit a brick wall when they start having to deal with NCLEX style questions because they are require a totally different strategy than in other types of classes.
As far as not having the drive to do your best until the end...make sure you mention that in the interview if you are applying at a facility where GPA has a strong impact in whether you get the job or not. For grad school you can address it in your essay. Did your grades go up this last semester? The job I'm interviewing for this week asks for a transcript so in your case you would be able to show that your grades went up at the end. You have options. :)

Yes. i did a little better than previously. I am not making excuses but i've heard that Associate degree RN courses are alot harder than Bachelor degree courses. Have u heard that also or is it the opposite? No matter what the case may be i have the ability to perform much better than i have in the pass and i am truly looking forward to living up to my statement

GoldenFire5 · Aug 23, 2009

Also keep in mind that most hospitals want letters of recommendation from your instructors. Your instructors are more likely to write a great letter for you if you're an A or B student than if you're a C student.

That said, if you still get Cs, it's not the end of the world. Just put your effort into doing well in another area, like clinicals.

chaxanmom · Aug 23, 2009

The hospital I am interviewing with asked for letters of reference from clinical instructors specifically. That could be very helpful if you struggled in the classroom but shine in the clinical site. Don't get my wrong, I am NOT of the mindset that clinicals matter and classroom does not because that's not true but having great clinical references can help make up for a deficit in GPA I would think. Ideally you would have both but you have more classes to take so work hard and bring up that GPA. :)