How important is GPA while in Nursing school?

CuriousMe · Mar 31, 2010

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!

I guess that's assuming everyone in nursing school also has kids?

The way I look at it is that I gave up a career and comfortable life style to come back to school. Doing that and then not doing the work necessary to achieve everything I'm capable of....well, it just seems like a terrible waste. School is for a short period of time (admittedly, it doesn't always feel that way at the time....but in the grand scheme it really is a short time)....my job now is to learn everything I can to best prepare myself to give excellent care to my future patients.

Butterfliesnroses · Mar 31, 2010

In my program anything below 80 is failing. I strive for an A...but I also look at it than anything above 80 (ea. unit is worth 100 pts) is extra points I can screw up on later, b/c the truth of the matter is that I just need the 80 to pass. I study my tail off...But I also spend time with my family. My daughter is 2, when I started this journey she was less than 1. When I'm done she'll be almost 4. I'm not that willing to give up 4 years of her life and miss out on it all. So I do make her a priority.

Jiminocala · Mar 31, 2010

I made lousy grades in High School, but in college, something competitive awakened inside of me and I graduated with a 3.7 GPA. The fact that I had done so well was a great comfort to me when I sat for boards. In those days, it was one test for everything and I was the first one done. The Dean called me later to say that I had the 3rd highest board score in the state. My advice to those who just try to make passing grades is this: you can do better. Do it for yourself and for the patients that you will care for in the future.

RNurseAng · Mar 31, 2010

Wow! Why does everybody on here assume that you have to give up your family life to get the A? I have a family and 4 kids, I took my last lecture exam yesterday, and I got a 4.0 in all of my nursing classes, while managing to also have a great family life. Like all things, there is a balance, and time management is very important, but yes... you can have both! :up:

Taryn963 · Mar 31, 2010

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.

Hi, I have been a nurse for 27 years, had a few jobs in that time, in different hospitals, facilities, etc, and not once did I ever have an interview where the interviewer asks what my GPA was......wish I had known that years ago...I would not have stressed so much over getting those A's. Take it easy...there will be plenty of time in the real world to give you all the stress you missed by accepting a B now and then!

jamaica · Mar 31, 2010

I think GPA is important to strive for, however I will not let it stress me out. The important thing to me is graduating. One thing they can't take from you as a RN is employment (unless you sabotage that). The nurse with the great GPA and straight A's maybe a lousy nurse. Book sense don't always give you hands on experience or clinical knowledge. I know this first hand because of the nurses I work with. It was the 4.0 graduate that asked me what was normal saline! If a company choses all the 4.0 graduates or base my knowledge as a nurse off of GPA only then I don't want to be a patient at that hospital. Trust me when I say it's jobs out there, and you can get a good job (not just the ones nobody else wants) as a RN. A real company reasearch not just read paper from when you were a student. Good Luck!!!!!!!!

RNurseAng · Mar 31, 2010

The nurse with the great GPA and straight A's maybe a lousy nurse. Book sense don't always give you hands on experience or clinical knowledge.

Now we're stereotyping 4.0 students as lousy nurses with no common sense? Very nice. :down:

Yes, there is a lot to be said for experience, but I'm pretty sure that goes for all students and graduate nurses. I don't know why there is such a negative stigma on student nurses. Every nurse was once a student, and every nurses has probably asked a stupid question at some point during they're learning process. Every nurse has to start out somewhere, so why not mentor the students and help them to excel? I know... another topic all together, but that comment gets my blood boiling! :devil:

I do not think I am any better than anyone else for my GPA. That was a personal goal for me, and I feel proud to have achieved it, but I also excel clinically, because that is my passion. I do not know everything, but what I don't know I will find out... I just hope I have the support of my team as I progress on my journey.

CuriousMe · Apr 1, 2010

Now we're stereotyping 4.0 students as lousy nurses with no common sense? Very nice.
Yes, there is a lot to be said for experience, but I'm pretty sure that goes for all students and graduate nurses. I don't know why there is such a negative stigma on student nurses. Every nurse was once a student, and every nurses has probably asked a stupid question at some point during they're learning process. Every nurse has to start out somewhere, so why not mentor the students and help them to excel? I know... another topic all together, but that comment gets my blood boiling!
I do not think I am any better than anyone else for my GPA. That was a personal goal for me, and I feel proud to have achieved it, but I also excel clinically, because that is my passion. I do not know everything, but what I don't know I will find out... I just hope I have the support of my team as I progress on my journey.

I agree, that stereotype makes me nuts as well. Partially because it's unlikely to happen in my program. Clinicals are 55% of my grade. Some of the clinical grade is a project, but the overwhelming majority of it is our clinical rubric, where we're graded on things like communication skills and clinical judgement.

DolceVita, ADN, BSN, RN · Apr 1, 2010

Really anyone can be a lousy nurse and it can be nothing to do with their academics. If I am sick I just want a good nurse. If he/she barely scraped by school I couldn't give a stuff.

kf15 · Apr 2, 2010

This will sum it up- shoot for A's but expect B's most of the time; the most imp thing to do is actually LEARN deeply the material w/ an eye on integrating it into a "big picture" for nclex later...... I was "outscored" by many fellow students who worried themselves physically SICK, but I had a relatively easy time prepping and passing nclex.

MissNikkiRN · Apr 2, 2010

People like to think that grades don't matter and say the old "C=RN" justification. But that's just a rationalization made by people who don't get good grades.
The truth is that sometimes they count a lot. Sometimes they count a little. Sometimes, they don't count. It all depends on the particulars of your situation and your desired career path. The most selective programs (schools, jobs, etc.) will consider your grades as part of your application -- if there is competition for the spots available. So, if you want to go back to school or if you want a job that a lot of other people want, then understand that your grades will be considered. If you will be content to take the jobs that other people don't want for the rest of your career, then I guess your grades won't matter much. For most people, reality lies somewhere in between the 2 extremes.
This afternoon, I will be chairing the selection committee to choose the students for our summer extern program. The lucky ones chosen will have a good summer nursing extern job that combines clinical and classroom activities. It will set them up to get the best jobs as new grads in 2011. As usual, we had over 50 applicants for our 8 available positions. We will not seriously consider anyone with an oveall GPA of less than 3.2 -- and most will probably have GPA's over 3.5.
The situation is similar for our new grad internships. We are a popular place to work and can be "picky" about those we hire. So, grades become one part of the application package -- but not the whole package.
We don't require 4.0's. But we want to see applicants with a consistent record of at least B's plus at least a few A's and/or other evidence of excellence in something. We can understand a C or 2 ... but don't want to see C's as a consistent pattern. Having worked in several good hospitals over the years, I think my current employer is pretty typical of "upper tier" hospitals.

I agree that a GPA of a few B's A's and a C here or there is a good balance. I am grateful enough to fall into that category. My GPA was earned by my own knowledge but somehow didn't amount up to person X, Y or Z. Person X, Y or Z was often put up on a higher level and the one thing that gets me fired up is the amount of cheating that goes on in Nursing Schools. My grades were earned and my GPA was a 3.2 Person X, Y and Z cheated their way through either by looking at each others papers, etc or making unprofessional friendships with professors. This was sickening because these are the individuals that don't have to worry about where they want to continue their educations IE:BSN,MSN etc.... and they get the upper hand into fellowhips,internships,jobs etc.... I think that GPA is important but it really shouldn't hold as much weight as performance and the companie's own testing standards because then the people who have rode on other people's coat tails can be separated from those individuals that have really accomplished greatness.

Just some food for thought: it isn't always the way it appears:devil:

CuriousMe · Apr 2, 2010

I agree that a GPA of a few B's A's and a C here or there is a good balance. I am grateful enough to fall into that category. My GPA was earned by my own knowledge but somehow didn't amount up to person X, Y or Z. Person X, Y or Z was often put up on a higher level and the one thing that gets me fired up is the amount of cheating that goes on in Nursing Schools. My grades were earned and my GPA was a 3.2 Person X, Y and Z cheated their way through either by looking at each others papers, etc or making unprofessional friendships with professors. This was sickening because these are the individuals that don't have to worry about where they want to continue their educations IE:BSN,MSN etc.... and they get the upper hand into fellowhips,internships,jobs etc.... I think that GPA is important but it really shouldn't hold as much weight as performance and the companie's own testing standards because then the people who have rode on other people's coat tails can be separated from those individuals that have really accomplished greatness.
Just some food for thought: it isn't always the way it appears:devil:

Just to make sure I understand your point.....GPA's shouldn't be used because you think people in your program cheated?