How important is GPA while in Nursing school?

Nursing Students Student Assist

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Hello, I was curious as to how important it is to maintain as close to a 4.0 as possible in Nursing school. I'm not suggesting or wondering whether its ok to slack off, but I feel like it'll be easier to learn the material not stressing out about having a few B's every now and then.

Where do you guys go to school where C is an RN? I would like to go there, over here if you get less than 77 (C+) in a class you fail, even if it is 76.9 you will fail

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As they say... C=RN.

4.0s are great, but not worth killing yourself for. The grading scale in nursing school is so skewed anyway, any passing grade is a good one!

Sadly at my school, an 83% in any class is failing and you must leave the program if it happens twice in the same class.

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Specializes in IMCU.

I keep my GPA as high as I can manage because I want to be sure to leave as many options open, academically, as possible. I know grad programs care about more than just GPA.

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All calculated into one big GPA at the end. That is what is posted on your final transcripts. However, for certain situations, such as admittance to grad school, your nursing school GPA might be looked at separately, just like certain prereq class GPA might have been looked at separately for admission to nursing school.

Depends on the school. My university only offers nursing classes (all pre-reqs and co-reqs need to be done at a partner university), which means that all non-nursing classes are considered transfer classes and show up on your transcript as such. Our school lists the transfer classes, but not the grades. So, our graduating GPA is only derived from our nursing classes.

I imagine if non-nursing and nursing classes were done through the same university....then it would all count for the final GPA.

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I found that nursing school is so hard that you study your butt off and pray for a C.......... I just finished with a 3.57. I would have liked better but I am happy to have that. Lots of others didn't do so well. :nurse:

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Specializes in Emergency Room, Specialty Infusions.

I agree. Work hard to pass the tests...and RN is an RN.

But I did learn something years later. I graduated with a 3.2 GPA from my University. 15 years later I check into the Master's Program....same school. OMG! They wanted a 3.8 GPA. No way! Some want a 3.5 (better, but still)

But at the time raising 4 kids by myself and working full time weekends as a LPN, I felt fortunate that I was just passing!

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Specializes in Radiology, Angio, PCU, Charge Nurse, OPS.

Straight A's in school only show you are a better student, not a better nurse. Of course you need to know all the medical information you can absorb, but getting an A in art history means nothing to your nursing career. The RN boards are pass/fail and you are not hired for your GPA.

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Straight A's in school only show you are a better student, not a better nurse. Of course you need to know all the medical information you can absorb, but getting an A in art history means nothing to your nursing career. The RN boards are pass/fail and you are not hired for your GPA.

...except for the hospitals that look at a new grad's grades?

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Where do you guys go to school where C is an RN? I would like to go there, over here if you get less than 77 (C+) in a class you fail, even if it is 76.9 you will fail

Same for my school... less than an 80 is failing... and no rounding, so yes, a 79.9 is failing, and you would have to reapply the next year!

I personally always strive high, cause it's in my nature. I don't want to kill somebody someday cause I worked for a "B".

I have a friend who is content with an 80 average, always living on the edge... the most annoying thing he can say to me (and frequently does), is that when we graduate, we're both gonna have the same RN at the end of our name, and both get the same starting pay. I guess it's mostly frustrating, cause I know for the most part, he's right! :devil:

I can only hope that the little extra work I put in will help me to pass my boards more easily, will help me to get my choice of jobs when I graduate, and will allow me the pride of knowing I did my best... I'm sure one day my patients will thank me too! :nurse:

Graduation is in 5 weeks... The light is just ahead! :yeah:

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Specializes in Emergency Room, Specialty Infusions.

There are a lot of people who are highly intelligent and with common sense....which I think is more important than getting an "A" on a test...but they don't test well. It's very unfair and slightly ludicrous that nursing schools are making it so tough you have to make an 80 or above. No wonder there is a nursing shortage!

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I just want to go to the other end of the scale. Don't sacrifice your life or your families lives' to get a 4.0. I DID and it wasn't worth it! No one ever asked me for my transcript...only my license. I do feel I got a good education but at what expense to my family? I should have settled for a B now and then and spent more time with my kids instead of studying. You forget all the little details that you studied so hard to remember for the test and there are always resource materials available when necessary when you're in practice. School IS important...but so is your life. Your kids grow up so fast and a B won't stop you from getting your licence or a good job so just relax!

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There are a lot of people who are highly intelligent and with common sense....which I think is more important than getting an "A" on a test...but they don't test well. It's very unfair and slightly ludicrous that nursing schools are making it so tough you have to make an 80 or above. No wonder there is a nursing shortage!

So, what alternative way should students be evaluated if not tests?

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