The "Curve"

[New 2 iceeYouRN]

So after being in a BSN program for my second year I have come to have mixed feelings on the "curve". Many instructors do it many different ways, whether it be by extra credit questions, or using the highest grade and tapering accordingly, or whatever. However I have come to feel uneasy about the curve. It inflates our grades on exams an avg of about 8-10%. I have heard a professors theory on the curve and it once pacified my concerns, however I have forgotten what she said. So I'm asking you all out there, what is your theory on curving nursing exams, and what theories have you heard for rationales by professors?

Thanks!

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

We don't have a curve... I am pretty jealous! In fact, our grading scale is even higher!

75-83 C

84-91 B

92-100 A

Gross! Our professors have the mentality "we aren't teaching you so you will make good grades, but so you will pass your boards"

We have a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX, but I believe that is partly because our professors make our Senior Exit Exam for Nursing incredibly hard, so when you take the boards they almost seem easy. The pass rate for our senior exit exam first try is around 75%

Our grade scale is higher then the normal scale and higher then that one, we are

94-100 A

85-93 B

77-84 C

I thought that was bad until I have seen some kids say their pass is an 80% and even saw one girl say they need to have an 84% to pass.

[itsmejuli]

Curving grades up to 10% is not fair on the students. This gives a false sense of security when it comes to writing the NCLEX.

I expect my instructors to teach and test at the level of the NCLEX. I want to pass that thing the first time.

I recently finished LPN, our class of 25 had 100% pass rate on the NCLEX-PN. I think the school average pass rate for PN is 98%.

[TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP]

Curving grades up to 10% is not fair on the students. This gives a false sense of security when it comes to writing the NCLEX.

I expect my instructors to teach and test at the level of the NCLEX. I want to pass that thing the first time.

I recently finished LPN, our class of 25 had 100% pass rate on the NCLEX-PN. I think the school average pass rate for PN is 98%.

Not necessarily. You assume that the tests the instructor writes is exactly as hard as the NCLEX. It could be that the instructor makes his/her exams very hard and then adjusts the grades upwards.

[tfleuter, BSN, RN]

Or that the teacher is proficient at writing NCLEX-style tests Love my instructors, but there is one certain class where we know that on each test at least 1 or 2 questions will be dropped b/c the teacher realized after the fact that it was worded strangely or required advanced knowledge that we 1st semester students don't have yet. No curves in my classes either, just teachers willing to drop "bad" questions.

[Nepenthe Sea]

We have a curve in that almost every test we get at least two questions dropped. It hardly affects me, because I usually get most of those right in the first place. However, there are many people in my class who are barely getting by because of the dropped questions. We're talking people making 50s and 60s on all the tests. Our last test grades were so bad that the professor dropped 5 questions. So, if you got all of those wrong, then you had the potential to gain up to 10 points. Now, this is starting to pi*% me off because I can't tell you how many of those that failed I heard say that they did not study. I study every single day, and yet it almost seems that I would benefit more by NOT studying. Except that I actually care about knowing all of this stuff so that I don't end up hurting a patient. And I like making decent grades.

[Nepenthe Sea]

Oh, and what gets me, too, is something that my A&P I professor said. She told us she doesn't have a curve in her class because "Would you want a nurse taking care of your mother if you knew that they ony passed nursing school because of a curve?" Well, assuming all of these people in my class actually graduate, that's what people around here are going to get.

[itsmejuli]

Oh, and what gets me, too, is something that my A&P I professor said. She told us she doesn't have a curve in her class because "Would you want a nurse taking care of your mother if you knew that they ony passed nursing school because of a curve?" Well, assuming all of these people in my class actually graduate, that's what people around here are going to get.

I totally agree.

The false security created by the curving of grades may also be one of the reasons some people don't pass their NCLEX on the first, second or third try.

[Nepenthe Sea]

We're supposed to have a high passing rate, but I am pretty sure we have a HESI exit exam. So if you are only passing your tests based on them throwing out points, then how are you going to pass the HESI? You aren't! So you are going to get all the way through school by the skin of your teeth and then fail the exit exam and not go on to take the NCLEX. Which may be why our rate is so high.

[itsmejuli]

You could talk to the program director.

But here's something to think about. If the school can keep their students passing and in school. Then the school is making more money. By the time you take your exit HESI, the school has received all of your money.

So is your education for your benefit or for the bottom line profit of the school.

[Nepenthe Sea]

You could talk to the program director.

But here's something to think about. If the school can keep their students passing and in school. Then the school is making more money. By the time you take your exit HESI, the school has received all of your money.

So is your education for your benefit or for the bottom line profit of the school.

Oh, I know that's why they do it! I think we do get a good education, but it's still a business, and it's still all about the $$$.

[Carrie_D]

This is all true. However, if the school consistently does not have a high enough percentage of students passing the NCLEX, their Board approval as a school of nursing can be revoked. You'd have to look at the rules for that specific state to see what the acceptable pass rate is. In my state, it's 85%.

[melmarie23, MSN, RN]

they curve to compensate for the deeply dysfunctional questions they tend to torture us with

yeah ditto. Some of our professors cant write an exam to save their life. We will point out blatant typos and errors in their answers and have the text to back us up. Its awful that we have to argue our case sometimes...especially when they have resources available to use to just pull some tried and true questions.

so to answer your question, some of our professors do, some don't. Those who do, do it different ways. Some will give extra credit assignments and others will scale the grades accordingly.

we had a 95% NCLEX pass rate last year. 100% the couple years previous. So our program must be doing something right.

oh and our school uses ATI as predictors and for NCLEX prep.