Microbiology

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Nov 16, 2014

Well, mistakes are mistakes whether they are careless or not. You can't just say oh I really do know that but I made a mistake. You earn your grade. That's all their is to it. The grading system at your school sounds like most other schools. In my nursing program it's a 93 or above for an A. We don't get participation points. We don't get attendance points either. But we do get docked points if we miss or are late. I got an 87 on my micro final and it was the second highest in the class. I still ended up with a B. It sucks, but it happens. It's what I earned.

mmrox92 · Nov 16, 2014

Heathermaizy can I ask what college?

pmabraham, BSN, RN · Nov 16, 2014

Good day, mmrox92:

I start a RN program this coming January after finishing my prerequisites including Microbiology. This isn't middle school or high school; no curves whatsoever. A handful of classes have participation points; sociology was easy for that, but two psychology classes (including an optional one I'm taking this semester) require a lot of participation to earn a small amount of points. For the hard core sciences, as HeatherMaizey shared, you earn your grade. And if you think this is difficult, it doesn't get any easier during the actual nursing program. I.e. 100% required on dosage calculations or you fail, show up seconds (SECONDS) late for clinicals twice and you are out of the program.

Thank you.

dt70 · Nov 17, 2014

Go to the tutor lab for the science department several hours a week. Read your book there. Pick their brains on difficult concepts. Have them do the same.

Science classes may curve individual tests but final grades usually remain unchanged. If you get a 92.996% you may try arguing for a 93.

mmrox92 · Nov 17, 2014

I just know that the professor of the other class curves and I don't think that is fair... Just because I took him and not the other I am going to get a lower grade... I tried going to the tutor but I ended up correcting him on several things and then I felt it wasn't worth all the time... Just so stressed out over it... In nursing school UR already in the program not trying to get into a program. As long as you maintain ur grades your okay. It's not as competitive...

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · Nov 17, 2014

Now wait a minute. You admittedly made "careless mistakes" on your last exam and earned an 88. That is the grade you earned. Your instructor isn't going to "give you a low grade", you earn the grade you get. Go rock the next exam and prove him wrong. I always view things like this as a challenge to overcome.

BTW, many nursing school programs have a no-rounding policy, so what ever grade you end up with, that's it. I got a 3.5 (A-/B+, depending on your school) instead of a 4.0 (A/A+), missing it by 0.3 and it really stung. However, it is what it is and there's no amount of complaining that's going to change it. I took it as impetus to do even better in my next course, which I did.

Nursing school courses are MUCH more difficult than the pre-reqs. It requires a lot of critical thinking, which isn't something you can memorize. It's a real eye-opener the first time you have a nursing exam.

mmrox92 · Nov 17, 2014

But I am not in nursing school yet. This is a prerequisite class. And an 88 on the midterm which was 6 points higher than anyone else??? Departmental exam?? These things don't reflect on me but in the difficulty level of the exam... I'm not in Harvard or something where it's supposed to be really really hard!! And the point is that if the other professors do it, he should also... I'm gonna ace my next exam I hope, but I also hope he is full of talk and will give the a...

mrlqn2 · Nov 17, 2014

The further you go in pursuit of nursing, the more likely you are to encounter this at least a couple of times. I remember getting an 88.16 in Pharm and I was so upset! My friends and family could not make sense of me being upset over a high B, but I was... And it made me a better student overall...It made me try harder, take advantage of any opportunity to improve my grades, and study as much as possible to avoid that feeling of getting close but not getting the grade I wanted.

pmabraham, BSN, RN · Nov 17, 2014

Good day, mmrox92:

"But I am not in nursing school yet." ... "I'm not in Harvard"

You are also not in middle school or high school. Welcome to being an adult . Now, you have a choice to continue to complain, create drama, be upset that one professor does curve vs. one doesn't, or move on. May I suggest moving on, learning, and growing. You can do it; you can do better each time. Now go and engage!

Thank you.

AshleyyW92 · Nov 18, 2014

I hope you don't talk to your Micro professor the way your replying to others here. I've only had one science teach to give extra credit and/or curve a grade but you literally have to jump through hoops of fire (ex. donate blood and provide proof for 5 points, lecture part of a chapter for 2 points). All I can say is do your best in this class and triple check your scantron and lab before you turn it in. My micro teacher was very much like yours and dropped everyone's grade down a letter. Good Luck.

greenerpastures · Nov 18, 2014

Your grade is your grade. An A- is a perfectly acceptable grade. For you to complain or expect a curve because you are at the top of the class is unbecoming. If you feel that strongly that your professor is being unfair, try talking to the department chair to see if the tests in the other micro class are comparable to your class. However, be prepared to be told "it is what it is". The sooner you accept that whining "it's not fair" doesn't get you far in the grown up, working class, adult world, the better off you'll be. The "it's not fair" whining never works in nursing school either.

mmrox92 · Nov 18, 2014

I've actually heard from many people in the college that going to the department head you can go from a b to an a... They aren't very strict about changing the grades... Maybe I will do that if I don't get the a...