Is this okay? Exam score

chinacatSN · Oct 9, 2011

Believe me, I understand your frustration! The program at my school is known for being one of the most difficult programs in the area. That being said, I usually score pretty good on my tests and I spend most of my free time studying - I'm a mom and a wife and I work so I have lots to balance. I'm in the RN program and when we took our F&E test, I got a 96%! However, when we took our Renal/Urinary test, the class average was a 73% and I only got an 82%, even though I studied nonstop. Also, in our program, we don't have B+ or B-; we just have A's, B's, and C's and getting anything below an 80 is considered failing. Needless to say, I was really disappointed in myself. However, I felt like I should be happy that I at least passed, because I had the highest score in the class and only 6 of 25 passed the test.

So yeah, You have the right to be disappointed in yourself and frustrated but also know that you're lucky to be above the average. That's how it is in nursing school - sometimes you work so hard to achieve something and you may fall short. Nursing school is difficult and many students are lucky to even PASS. Our class started out with around 100 students LPN year and now we only have 80. I'm sure by the end of this year we'll be down to 70 or less. Some people just can't handle the stress. Some people refuse to study more and end up failing. Some people get burnt out and drop out. Just keep trying your hardest. Try different study techniques.

Also, if your school uses NCLEX type questions on the tests, by a Kaplan NCLEX study book. Kaplan may not be the nest school, but their NCLEX books are AWESOME. They tell you how to break down the questions and figure out the answers, even if you're not sure what the answers are. It teaches you how to deal with those pesky "select all that apply" questions. It's worth every penny.

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · Oct 9, 2011

I'm currently in my last semester of NS and had two exams in the pass month. First exam I got 88, second exam 89. I did feel a little disappointed being so close to an A. However, I thank God for my good grades. I no longer feel disappointed when I see other students crying d/t failing their exam. I'm grateful for my high Bs.

MN-Nurse, ASN, RN · Oct 9, 2011

Okay, so I took my first nursing exam ever that happened to be in pathophysiology. I worked and studied my ass off and did everything I could. The average for the class was a 79/C+. I got an 87.5/B+. I can't help but feel somewhat disappointed and a little frustrated. I wanted a higher score, around 90%, and I just feel like somewhat discouraged by this first test score.
If you were in my shoes, would you feel disappointed in this exam score? Btw, it is worth 20% of my grade!!!

Congratulations on a good score!

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Oct 9, 2011

No i would take the score, know it was the best I could do and move on.

AgentBeast, MSN, RN · Oct 9, 2011

After awhile you learn to accept that in nursing school any score that isn't a failing score is a good score.

Cupcake89121 · Oct 9, 2011

No, it is an awful score. You should be ashamed of yourself. How dare you sully our nursing student discussion with your B. We are all straight A nursing students here.

playmaker2008 · Oct 9, 2011

yeah that score sucks..we are straight A student just like Cupcake89121 said!!

futurenurseya33 · Oct 10, 2011

The straight A comment was hilarious!

llg, PhD, RN · Oct 10, 2011

Congratulations! You have hit an important milestone in the process of growing up and becoming an adult. You have discovered that you are not the perfect student ... God's gift to the world ... destined to win a Nobel Prize before you are 25 years old.

You have imperfections just like everyone else. Success will not always come easy. Sometimes, life and work are hard.

The grade is good enough for now. Nothing terrible will happen because of it. I can understand your disapointment, but you need to learn from it and move on.

What are you learning from the experience? That's the important thing.

latinadream · Oct 10, 2011

I totally can relate to you because I constantly feel frustrated with my test scores. I feel like I have studied My butt off and I still can't get that A. I remember I had an 90 on my first nursing test and on the rest of the tests my scores pretty much went up and down even though I never failed a test. I felt overwhelmed with always expecting a very high grade on all of my tests which I feel its impossible to do. However I did manage to get an "A" in that class at the end of the semester the same class the teacher had said it was impossible and that none of her students had ever gotten an A in her class in the begging of the class. I am now in second semester and its the same thing 1st test I scored a 90 and was satisfied since I got the highest grade in the class but in my second test I only got an 86 which I felt I knew that info front and back I felt very disappointed in myself sometimes i feel like its the end of the world in situations like that but I have learned to accept my grade which was good because I passed the test and don't have to worry! so thats all we could do Move on and study even harder for the next test!

Pneumothorax, BSN, RN · Oct 10, 2011

you did the best you could AND scored higher than the class average. i wouldnt be disappointed. everyone wants A's and gets them in a perfect world, but sometimes you get B's...