2nd semester finals and i'm a borderline grade

chevyv, BSN, RN · Dec 12, 2008

Don't freak out! You need to relax and use your time wisely. Study more than you did before. When its time for bed, take a notecard with levels or whatever you need to ranges, whatever to look over. Some people find it difficult, but I find that I retain the info much better. I don't take things that I don't understand but rather facts that I need to pound into my head. I tend to dream about it and that helps.

If you work, consider calling in sick a day or two before the exam and study. Every hour get up and walk around for a few minutes. Clear your head with a walk for 20 minutes. The night before I turn in early and get up a few hours before the exam to study some more. I did that with my last exam for 4th semester theory. I didn't usually study that way or that much, but I needed an 80 in the class and was pulling a 79 average going into that last one. I ended up with a 92 (my best score that whole class). There is alot of really good advice here.

There was a thread a few months back that I think was titled 'this is how I get A's' or 'this is how I study and pass'. The poster gave some really good advice. Maybe you can find it. Good luck, I just know how your feeling. You can do this :loveya:

rn2bnwi, BSN, RN · Dec 12, 2008

Don't shoot for a 77 Percent shoot for and A. you have to use your time wisely. ...... stressing about this is going to hinder you so you need to put that aside, you can't change your past grades but you can help prepare yourself for the last test.

My own personal strategies for studying is I always sit at the front of the class, I always sit by people who are going to help me succeed and stay focused, Some people like to do study groups for test, personally i think they are a hinderance so I set up a study plan. Each day i assign myself so much reveiw and I do NOTHING else until its done.

If your textbook has a website with questions DO THEM. don't just master the answers , if you miss a question make yourself do the the work to find the right one, memorizing rote answers is useless if you don't have the foundation on to which to break apart the questions on the test.. What class is this btw? Good luck! and you can do it, its all about time management.

Ms.RN · Dec 12, 2008

my grades so far have been
55%
79%
72%
79%
79%
55%
=74.45%
i need a 75% to pass the class.
the last chance is my final. i can only get 19 wrong on a 83 exam. a 77%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it's supposedly harder.. and that technically means i'm screwed. i'm seriously asking god for a miracle and reciting john 14:12 periodically.
ugh. what do you guys think?

gees. i cant believe you guys are given 6 tests. :bugeyes: what class is this? in every one of my nursing classes, we had 3 tests plus a final exam, and we have to get 80% in order to pass the class. so even if our tests scores are 80% we were so stressed out because we are doomed if we dont do well on the next test.

i think there is alot of pressure and stress with yourself because you have to pass the final exam. it will be nice and comfortable if you only have to get 60% on the finals to pass. but your score is not that horrible and it certainly is not impossible. my classmates failed first 2 test in pediatrics and they had to get 80% on the finals in order to pass. what a pressure!!!:sstrs: :banghead: :yldhdbng:. but guess what?? they all got 80% on the finals and passed the class. i dont know how they did it. i dont think i can pull a thing like that. frankly i dont think finals are harder because they cover alot more materials.

p.s. when this is all over, you will be :tbsk: and say i'm one more closer to my graduation day!!!

rn2bnwi, BSN, RN · Dec 12, 2008

I just had to come back to this because the numbers weren't making sense to me. i add all your test together and divided them by 6 and y our average is just below a 70 percent. I think you should talk to your teacher and see exactly where you are.

Bortaz, MSN, RN · Dec 12, 2008

69.83 test average, but they may be including homework, classroom work, projects, etc grades into the final average.

rn2bnwi, BSN, RN · Dec 12, 2008

that definately could be most classes in this area require a cum. test average before they will include homework in your average. not always though.

GOMER42 · Dec 12, 2008

I think you should get off of the internet, quit relying on miracles, go into hiding, and study your butt off until it is time to go to class for that final!

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

ArwenEvenstar · Dec 12, 2008

My advice? Think POSITIVE!!! If you do not change your negative attitude NOW, you will fail!!

I've been a nurse almost 18 years....But I still remember my second semester of nursing school. At my school, this was the make or break semester. Although my school did not have many flunk-outs, if there were - the second semester was it. Well...for my nursing final I needed at least a certain grade to pass the semester (so long ago now that I don't remember exactly what it was!) but it was a fairly high grade. Well, this may sound simplistic....But I had never failed a class in my entire life. So...my attitude was: I WILL pass!! That is the ONLY option! In fact, I never even thought about failing. Passing was the only option. I studied hard. And I passed with the final grade I needed on the exam by ONE point! Yes, one point! I barely made it! BUT I MADE IT!!! I PASSED!!!

Now my husband....his story is similar to mine, except third semester was the make or break semester at his school. He too needed a certain fairly high grade on the nursing final. My husband's attitude the entire time he studied was "I am going to fail...this is impossible...I can't do it...etc". I told him repeatedly to change his attitude or he would end up failing but he maintained a pessimistic attitude. On the exam, he failed to get the grade he needed by TWO points!! UGH!!!! Two lousy points! But...he repeated the third semester the following year, passed that time, did graduate, and has been a successful nurse 12 years now. So, failing a semester is not the end!!

So...my advice is: Study hard AND think POSITIVE!!! Don't even think about the possibility of failing! (Note that I emphasize studying HARD along with a positive attitude! A proper attitude alone won't do it!) Maybe this advice sounds simplistic. But it makes sense to me that a pessimistic or optimistic attitude could affect your "thinking" as you study and take the exam...and the wrong or right choice on just one or two questions could decide whether you pass or fail!

P.S. At my school they told us ahead of time the grade we needed on the final to pass the semester.

lovehospital · Dec 12, 2008

I have my finals this monday and I will be working today,saturday,and sunday so I'm kind of freaked out as well yet I only have to get 52% to pass the course... From from my experience finals are usually made easier because of accumulative information so there is a good chance that you will pass.

Just keep fighting.

Off to study for my finals now..

kellyc034 · Dec 12, 2008

I take my second semester final on Monday as well. We don't do ours in percentages, rather in points. Monday's final is worth 100 points (1 point per question) and I can miss 39 questions and still pass.

It sounds like I have some "play room" but I keep thinking "What if I freak out and miss 40?" UGH. One girl in my semester is repeating for missing by 8 points. It is just scary and stressfull.

Hang in there! I'm hoping we both do great!!

Kelly