Kind of bummed...My 4.0 is ruined

Fermin Hernandez, ADN, ASN, RN · Mar 28, 2009

What till you realize that with 96% needed for an A you only have 4% leeway...and 2-5% of test questions are going to be wrong or trivial memory tasks that will mean NOTHING later (like if aids Patient Zero myth started in 84 or 86) or an instructor insisting that thiazides are K+ sparing....or that a fake pt with a blood (arterial) pH of 7.48 Co2 66 has respiratory acidosis.

And those errors were made by a teacher I highly respect for knowing her stuff.

Point is, no one is perfect, including students, instructors, doctors, whatever. This inherent imperfection makes nursing school grading scales somewhat of an academic mockery.

Why is this the case? Because schools are under pressure to maintain a high state boards pass rate. They need to show that they deserve accreditation and funding.

One solution is to keep grade scales traditional and use 3rd party NCLEX like exams to weed out the ones who may not pass....but then you run into problems. Like the C- student who asks "Why can't I at least try the NCLEX?". Sad truth is, its far better for schools to fail the student then to let them try and fail.

Moral of the story: Do your best and dont let the B+s get you down :)

shoegalRN, RN · Mar 28, 2009

I say look at the bright side of things.

You could be sitting on the border with a 74.5% and you studied your butt off and ONE point caused you to fail the class. Now you have to sit out for an entire year. You are good in clinicals, but just not a good test taker.

This happened to a couple of students I know.

There are several people who would KILL for that B. I say look at the glass half full.

I understand your GPA is important to you as it should be, but it's ALWAYS someone who has it WORSE than you.

Good luck!