My school's NCLEX pass rates are "tanking"! What to do?

Published

I just looked at the NCLEX pass rates for my school and found out they have gone from 91% in 1998-2001 to 76% in 2002 and 70% in 2003 (2004 haven't been released.) Should I be concerned? I noticed other schools in my state have been "down" and gone "up" and vice versa. I will be a sophmore in the BSN program in the fall and will still taking pre-reqs (a & p II, chem I & II, micro...etc.) this coming year. I still have about 3 yrs. to go. Should I ride it out? hope it goes back up? transfer? etc.? Please let me know what you think; and to anyone who has experience with this, how much do the pass rates matter?

Thank you in advance for all your input.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I just looked at the NCLEX pass rates for my school and found out they have gone from 91% in 1998-2001 to 76% in 2002 and 70% in 2003 (2004 haven't been released.) Should I be concerned? I noticed other schools in my state have been "down" and gone "up" and vice versa. I will be a sophmore in the BSN program in the fall and will still taking pre-reqs (a & p II, chem I & II, micro...etc.) this coming year. I still have about 3 yrs. to go. Should I ride it out? hope it goes back up? transfer? etc.? Please let me know what you think; and to anyone who has experience with this, how much do the pass rates matter?

Thank you in advance for all your input.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

it is entirely within your rights to assess the situation by going to your dean/director and asking him/her what his/her impression is of that statistic ...

they might have some interesting info for you on that ... it could allay your fears or give you rational impetus to find another school ...

whatever their reaction, don't trust an answer of "i/we have no idea"; if it is true they have no idea, then they are not in touch with what is going on in their own program (i.e., they suck as a dean/director) ... if they say that and they are lying to cover up known problems, well, then they suck even more for lying to you.

it could be good old fashioned statistical variation, a change in the testing, a decrease in the overall academic stature of applicants to your program, or a bazillion things ...

i wouldn't panic over it though. good luck.

norm

Up Vote Up Vote ×

it is entirely within your rights to assess the situation by going to your dean/director and asking him/her what his/her impression is of that statistic ...

they might have some interesting info for you on that ... it could allay your fears or give you rational impetus to find another school ...

whatever their reaction, don't trust an answer of "i/we have no idea"; if it is true they have no idea, then they are not in touch with what is going on in their own program (i.e., they suck as a dean/director) ... if they say that and they are lying to cover up known problems, well, then they suck even more for lying to you.

it could be good old fashioned statistical variation, a change in the testing, a decrease in the overall academic stature of applicants to your program, or a bazillion things ...

i wouldn't panic over it though. good luck.

norm

Up Vote Up Vote ×

thanks a lot for the advice, norm. You make some real good points; they should know what's going on within their own program. I think I will have a talk with them.

Thanks for putting it in perspective.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

thanks a lot for the advice, norm. You make some real good points; they should know what's going on within their own program. I think I will have a talk with them.

Thanks for putting it in perspective.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion