What's worse than having a strict grading range?...

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Having a lenient one.

I may be griping, but I've always had a problem with the local community college's grading system. In the ADN program I attend, this is where we have to take our co-reqs.

The reason why I do not like this, is that they have such a large range for alphabetical grades that do not show the students abilities more on point.

They have 5 grades.

A- 90+

B- 80-89

C- 70-79

D- 60-69

F- x

Although learning is not about getting the best grades, but rather about comprehension of the material and ablility to apply that material, being grouped into a grading system that is not followed by the majority of other institutions, proves to be a disadvantage and unfair to the students that attend.

When colleges will look at my transcipts, they will see a "B" in classes, but not a "B+"; despite that fact that I obtained a high 80 grade. This could affect my prospects for BSN and graduate admissions, which is disheartening.

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Sorry, I just needed to get this off my chest.

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Specializes in Nursing Ed, Ob/GYN, AD, LTC, Rehab.
Having a lenient one.

I may be griping, but I've always had a problem with the local community college's grading system. In the ADN program I attend, this is where we have to take our co-reqs.

The reason why I do not like this, is that they have such a large range for alphabetical grades that do not show the students abilities more on point.

They have 5 grades.

A- 90+

B- 80-89

C- 70-79

D- 60-69

F- x

Although learning is not about getting the best grades, but rather about comprehension of the material and ablility to apply that material, being grouped into a grading system that is not followed by the majority of other institutions, proves to be a disadvantage and unfair to the students that attend.

When colleges will look at my transcipts, they will see a "B" in classes, but not a "B+"; despite that fact that I obtained a high 80 grade. This could affect my prospects for BSN and graduate admissions, which is disheartening.

---

Sorry, I just needed to get this off my chest.

Boy that sure is funny, why they may give you a A or a B they should also on your offical transcript give you a GPA which will show how good of an A or B you got. I have NEVER heard of a college not awarding a GPA otherwise how can other colleges give you credit for them?

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Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

It could work to your advantage though, because if you get a low 90 you still have a 4.0, while in other schools a low 90 is a 3.7.

Some professors also grade differently, so you might have earned a B in class which would have been an A in the same subject with a different teacher.

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Boy that sure is funny, why they may give you a A or a B they should also on your offical transcript give you a GPA which will show how good of an A or B you got. I have NEVER heard of a college not awarding a GPA otherwise how can other colleges give you credit for them?

I will have to check my transcipt on that.

I guess I won't that big of a problem if it was reflected in my GPA.

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Specializes in Neuro.

That grading scale is pretty standard (at least it's been like that everywhere I've gone to school in 3 states). Some schools do pluses and minuses, some don't. As some said, it works out great for you if you're on the low end of the grade (you get a B instead of a B-) but not so great if you're on the high end (you get an A instead of an A+).

Usually if there are no +/- distinctions in your letter grade, there will not be a distinction in your GPA. You get 4 points for an A, 3 for a B, 2 for a C, etc. And those average into your GPA.

The good news is if that school is where you have to take your prereqs, you'll be graded just like the rest of your competition, so no one will have the upper hand by having gotten credit for A+'s elsewhere, I guess,

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I should have mentioned, there are no +'s or -'s given.

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We are currently on the range you mentioned university-wide but are switching next year to +/- because so many other schools do, especially high caliber ones. Like others have mentioned, sometimes it helps, sometimes it hurts. The only thing that I really don't like is that with the +/- scale there is no A+, because your GPA can't go over 4.0. (Like at my high school with pre-AP/AP classes the highest GPA possible was a 4.6 which throws everyone off- I'm SO glad admissions officers go through and recalculate all their GPA's in their way!) So it will be interesting to see how the change goes...

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
That grading scale is pretty standard (at least it's been like that everywhere I've gone to school in 3 states). Some schools do pluses and minuses, some don't. As some said, it works out great for you if you're on the low end of the grade (you get a B instead of a B-) but not so great if you're on the high end (you get an A instead of an A+).

Usually if there are no +/- distinctions in your letter grade, there will not be a distinction in your GPA. You get 4 points for an A, 3 for a B, 2 for a C, etc. And those average into your GPA.

The good news is if that school is where you have to take your prereqs, you'll be graded just like the rest of your competition, so no one will have the upper hand by having gotten credit for A+'s elsewhere, I guess,

The college where I am taking my pre-reqs it depends on the teacher on what the grading scale is. Most of my classes have been the standard 10 point letter grade, but with my Micro class you had to have a 91% for an A. I had a 90.8% and she would not round up, nor does the college give +/-. My B earned 3 points, the same grade I would have earned if I had only 81%. Here is the kicker, for the nursing application if you went to a school that uses +/- and it reflects in your grade points they will use it. So it is not excatly fair

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Specializes in Nursing Ed, Ob/GYN, AD, LTC, Rehab.

Wow I cant believe some schools only give 4 3 2 and not anything inbetween. Solution to that problem is DONT GO THERE. What a horrible way to punish students by not accuratly refelecting the grade that was earned. You bust your butt for a B+ then show it. You should not be given the same grade as someone with a B-!!!

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Specializes in ED.

That is how all the community colleges here grade, there are no + or -. And no, your GPA is just for that grade (A = 4.0 etc). If they don't have the option of + or - they wouldn't adjust the gpa for a + or -. But that looks like the norm. Is that the scale for the nursing program? Because if it is, it is pretty good. Ours is

A = 92-100%

B = 85 - 92%

C = 77 - 85%

Below 77 you do not pass the course.

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In my prerequisites, it seems to be up to the professor. In Anatomy, you needed a 93 for an A. Now in the nursing classes, and A is 89.5 or above, and under 74.5 is an F. I got that 93 by the skin of my teeth:lol2:

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The grade scale for Nursing programs are different than other classes for a reason. You are going to be responsible for someones' life. Look at it this way, in most gen ed classes a 60% may mean a C, but in Nursing programs you need 77% or higher for a C. Who would you like to have taking care of your loved one, the person with 60% of the knowledge or the one with 77%+ of the knowledge. It also motivates you to work harder on your grades, and BTW I graduated with about a C+ GPA and it didn't hamper my ability to get into BSN program. So don't fret, work hard, learn as much as you can and don't get stressed (yeah right.....ROFL)!

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