Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
i can speak to this since i worked closely with a nurse recruiter at one large teaching hospital when i was a nurse manager and a member of the new grad orientation committee. in general, the answer to your question is no.
however, the smarter recruiters who know their area know more about the area nursing schools than you can imagine. they keep contacts with the instructors and program directors at the schools as well as with managers and recruiters at other hospitals. many of your clinical instructors are/or were staff nurses at local hospitals and it is highly likely that one of the nurse recruiters you end up talking to knows one or two of your clinical instructors through a work situation. so, i have written about this a number of times and it is based on my experience working as a nurse manager hiring new grads and working with human resource people and nurse recruiters.
treat nursing school as if it were your job. i can't shout this loud enough. you are being evaluated and assessed in your performance every single day just as any employee at a job. your instructors and professors are compiling written data on each of their students. some of this data goes into a permanent file that is used in later years to help other nursing department instructors in later years who may not even know you provide information for job references for you. if you think i'm making this up, ask about this. despite strict rules on what can go into files, stray sticky notes get left in files all the time.
your first job references must come from your nursing school instructors. therefore, it is imperative that you have made a good impression. can your instructors say you were interested in nursing? did you whine and complain about all your assignments? were you always the last one in line to perform your return lab demonstrations? when volunteers were asked for, did you suddenly disappear? did you show eagerness to learn or need a whip to keep you going? did you accept mistakes you made like a man/woman, own up to them and demonstrate integrity in correcting and improving your practice? did you cut classes? were you a troublemaker? your instructors are going to be asked about your personality and character. make no mistake about the fact that employers are looking for people who are going to make good employees as well as deliver the goods as nurses and your grades don't show that. did you stumble through new procedures saying "glad that's over"? or, did you ask for more opportunities to practice and hone that new skill? no one wants a problem employee and i can tell you that as a nurse manager i want to try to elicit that potential information before i hire someone and have to deal with a bunch of behavior problems and bad attitude headaches.
it's not only what is written on a reference, but what is not written that gets considered. a potential employer of a professional person (and that's what an rn is) wants to see things about you like this: positive attitude, has a pleasant personality, communicates well, energetic, not afraid to step up and be responsible, respectful of others, able to work with minimal supervision, flexible and adapts to change readily, is a team player, has the ability to be an effective leader, can tolerate stress, has good problem solving skills, always eager to learn more and was a good learner in school. if some of those things are not on the paper i've got to go "hummm?"
the good ol' boy network still exists. even though you might have listed the two nursing instructors you wanted to give your references, our recruiter still picked up the phone and called the school to talk to the instructors she knew and whose opinions she had learned to trust in the past. no, it's not legal anymore, but who is going to tell and how are you going to prove it?
i cringe every time i see a post from a student either intimately involved in a hot issue or considering getting involved in one that is going on at the nursing school with the dean or the nursing instructors. employers get wind of that stuff too and more likely than not it's not good gossip that they hear. most employers aren't likely to hire people who come with baggage like that.
just remember that all your actions have consequences. the people in charge in the working world are more conservative than you might want to think. ultimately, those are the people you have to impress. so, c's are good. your instructors are right. just worry about passing your classes, passing the nclex and demonstrating that you have the right stuff to be an rn and work in the world as an rn.
FAQs
How much do employers really care about your grades? The bottom-line is that most employers hiring nurse practitioners won't ask about your GPA at all once you've graduated (if they follow typical employment trends, at least). Whether you're a C student or you earned a perfect 4.0 will be your news to electively share.
Should you put GPA on nursing resume? ›
The same goes for GPA; it is optional to include, and you can list it if you feel it will give you a competitive edge. Also, it is optional to include degrees or certifications unrelated to nursing, should you possess one.
Is GPA important for nursing? ›
If you're planning on entering a bachelor's program for nursing right after you graduate from high school, your high school GPA plays an important determining factor in whether you'll be accepted. Most universities require a minimum GPA of 3.0 to be accepted into a bachelor's nursing program.
Does GPA matter for nurse residency? ›
As far as your GPA, you will hear lots of experienced nurses say "GPA doesn't matter, I get hired wherever I apply". Unfortunately, they are talking about themselves and their hiring experiences as experienced nurses, not as you- a new grad. All resident programs have screening criteria and many include GPA.
Should I put 3.4 GPA on resume? ›
You should include your GPA if you are a current student or recent graduate (within the last three years) of a college or high school and your GPA is above 3.5. In some cases, employers may specifically ask applicants for their GPA, which means you need to include it no matter what it is.
Can I get a job with a 3.0 GPA? ›
It depends who you ask. More than half of employers reject applicants who don't have a 3.0 GPA or higher on their college transcripts. This common practice makes sense for some businesses, but it may not be the best choice for your company.
Is a 3.3 GPA good for resume? ›
Example of GPA on Resume
If you've recently completed an academic program and your GPA was 3.5 or higher, then you should definitely include it on your resume and in your job application.
What is the minimum GPA to put on a resume? ›
If GPA is requested in the job description, then you must include it on your resume. Otherwise, it's always optional. However, if your GPA is over 3.5, it's recommended that you mention it on your application no matter what (as long as you are a new graduate or in school.)
Should I put low GPA on resume? ›
If your overall GPA is low and your major GPA is very strong, you could leave off your overall GPA and just include your major GPA. If your overall is moderate and your in-major is high, you might choose to list both.
Is a 3.3 GPA bad for nursing school? ›
A good GPA for nursing school will depend on the program that you're applying for. Schools like UPenn and University of Michigan Ann Arbor's average admitted GPA is between 3.8-3.9, while some schools average closer to 3.5 or 3.6. Generally speaking, a good GPA stands at a 3.7 or higher.
While most nursing schools set their minimum GPA requirements at 3.0, there are accelerated nursing programs that accept students with 2.7 and 2.8 GPAs. Keep in mind that this does not mean you would receive a lesser nursing education with these programs.
Is 2.5 GPA good for nursing? ›
Some accept GPAs as low as 2.5, some only consider your GPA for nursing-specific prerequisites or during your last 60 hours of coursework, and some schools ignore your GPA altogether as long as you've completed the prerequisites.
Will a 3.7 GPA get me into nursing school? ›
GPA requirements depend on the type of nursing program you want to apply for, but most programs require at least a 3.0 GPA or higher. However, due to the competitive nature of nursing programs, most schools prefer a 3.7 to 4.0 GPA.
Is a 3.5 GPA good for nursing school? ›
What Is a Competitive GPA for Nursing School? A competitive GPA depends on what schools you want to apply to. For example, a GPA of 3.8 or higher ensures you'd be a competitive applicant at most nursing schools. However, a 3.5 GPA may be competitive at schools with a 3.0 requirement.
What if my GPA is too low for nursing school? ›
Go Beyond GPA
While most nursing schools set their minimum GPA requirements at 3.0, there are accelerated nursing programs out there that accept students with 2.7 and 2.8 GPAs. Keep in mind that this doesn't mean you'd receive a lesser nursing education with these programs.
Do employers care what your GPA is? ›
GPA only really matters for entry-level roles
For the most part, your job history will consist of internships, summer jobs, or be non-existent when you graduate from college, so some employers will use your GPA as a metric to assess your candidacy for entry-level roles.
Do employers look at overall GPA? ›
Not every company wants to know your GPA
"Some employers will ask about it, and others will not. So it is really up to the candidate to decide what they want to highlight," Salemi says. "If they are asking applicants for their GPA, it does matter. But they are looking at the overall candidate as a whole," she adds.
Is a 3.0 GPA good for nursing school? ›
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) GPA Requirements
If you're hoping to get a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), you'll generally want to aim for a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and higher for a competitive GPA.
