GPA advice

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I attended two schools, one for my pre-requisites and a second to complete my nursing degree. At the first school (in my pre-reqs) my GPA is 4.0. At the second, it is 3.49. Not so terrific.

On new grad applications, they are asking for my GPA, and I feel it's unfair for me to have to put 3.49 when that doesn't reflect my entire college GPA. Is it typical to calculate both together and list that? And what would be the correct way to do so?

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Specializes in NICU, ER.

Truthfully, I dont remember a single person even glancing at or mentioning my GPA anywhere. I have two degrees from two different schools, and I just listed them both with GPAs at graduation, but seriously, I doubt they will look very hard once they notice it is a decent GPA :)

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Specializes in ER, STICU, Neuro ICU, PACU, Burn ICU.
Truthfully, I dont remember a single person even glancing at or mentioning my GPA anywhere. I have two degrees from two different schools, and I just listed them both with GPAs at graduation, but seriously, I doubt they will look very hard once they notice it is a decent GPA :)

Agree 100%. If hospitals only hired only 4.0 grads, there'd be a >90% nursing vacancy rate. Seriously, you're good to go with your GPAs.

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This place I'm applying is making a big deal of GPA though. They accept applicants by a point system. And a 3.49 isn't going to be high on the point system.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

Ask the facility you're applying to.

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

in my 42+ years as RN, never have been ask GPA, and worked in major teaching hospital systems (thankfully :) )

however your gpa is the adverage ie 4.0 + 3.49 รท 2= 3.745...........pretty dog gone good ;)

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

I would definitely calculate a cumulative GPA from both of those transcripts. Be sure to use the standard method so that it will be easy to understand how you derived it. This will mean totaling up all grades you received from both schools and dividing that number by the total credit hours from both schools .... not just a simple average as illustrated in the previous post.

In my part of the world, it is very common to request GPA information on new grad applications. In fact, some organizations are including other academic data such as HESI scores also. It's probably because they need some type of objective screening criteria to narrow down the overwhelming number of new grad applications they receive.

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Specializes in Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.

Either put your cumulative (everything) or just your Nursing GPA whichever is higher. Just make sure you label it as such.

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Thanks guys.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

I agree about totaling the overall GPA. You'll have to do the math considering the units in each of those GPAs and what's transferable and whatnot.

You may also ask them if they want your NURSING GPA (just nursing program courses), or OVERALL. I know for me, there's a big difference (I think it's 3.89 for nursing and 3.49 overall, something like that).

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