advice for someone whose GPA is less than desirable?

[laruhpea]

hi all. i was looking to garner some wisdom from the collective as i am at a bit of a cross roads. i am interested in applying to an accelerated BSN program however i think i underestimated the extent to which my cumulative gpa will pose a barrier. let's just say my 1st attempt at my undergrad was less than fruitful.

i am ashamed to say that after 4 years of partying - which was many years ago as i am now 35 - at 21 i left university with an abysmal 1.8 gpa. i took a ten year break to figure myself out, returned to school and have since completed by BA in addition to a Master's in Social Work with a 3.68 graduate-level gpa. i have always worked in health care in a lay capacity, hoped to return to earn my BSN, and have been amassing my nursing pre-reqs along the way maintaining a 3.5 in my core pre-reqs with two more left to go.

albeit naive knowing how competitive programs are nowadays i guess i just hoped that factoring in my performance in my BA completion + my grad gpa + decent grades in my core pre-reqs + strong TEAS scores that i'd stand a shot. that said in doing the math my cumulative gpa is still below benchmarks for most programs, and some programs will not even factor my grad school grades which makes my circumstance on paper all the more grim.

i am not one to give up on something i really want. consequently i was curious as to whether there is anyone else in a similar boat that might have some advice??? any decent/semi-affordable ABSN programs (preferably in the southeast) that anyone knows of that might be inclined to view me more holistically??? at this point i would be able to access and complete a PhD in my current field prior to elevating my gpa to the point where it needs to be.

thanks in advance for your suggestions. i very much look forward to receiving any guidance you might provide

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

1.8? In order to stay at my university you would have at least a 2.0. So I don't understand how you could graduate with a 1.8 but...

I would apply for an associates and work toward a bachelor's. An accelerated ban is hard to get into with D average.

[spore2008]

It does suck to feel like you overcame the poor performance in undergrad long ago. Stellar graduate work doesn't seem to help your application one bit.

Not necessarily.

Like you, I did not do as well as I would have liked in undergrad and graduated with a GPA 2.8 (a great school, double majors in Neuroscience and Religion). After undergrad, I was a research technician, PhD graduate student (Molecular Genetics) and postdoctoral research fellow. I did very well in graduate school (GPA 3.8).

Honestly, I was surprised to learn that some accelerated programs would not even consider my graduate degree (2008) and only would consider my undergraduate degree (1994-8). If not for my PhD credential, I doubt I would have been accepted to any program. I got all As in my prerequisite course work. I was accepted to 2 out of 3 schools I applied to: two programs are direct entry masters programs and the third is an accelerated masters program. All three programs are nationally known schools. I will be attending the accelerated BSN program beginning in January 2012.

I would call the schools you are interested in and ask them about their policy regarding GPA requirements directly. A majority of schools will be reasonable and look at the entire package and not freeze you as a 20-year old in a 35 year old body. One notable exception is Duke. I do know Duke is not sympathetic to personal growth. They place very heavy emphasis on undergraduate GPA regardless of your recent academic achievements. They evaluate candidates based on cryptic point system placing the majority of points on undergraduate GPA only (this is what the school adviser told me). I believe Duke is in the minority.

I do not think continuing on pursuing a PhD degree is the answer. Unless you truly want to enter that profession. Don't get a PhD to put a feather in your cap.

Why don't you want to be a social worker? More school=more money owed!

Are you only interested in accelerated BSN programs?

You may have better luck with private institutions...even highly selective privates. And I would address your academic personal growth in your personal statement. I did.

[ParkerBC,MSN,RN, PhD, RN]

I would encourage you to research the different programs out there. The school I attended required a 2.75 and there were some with a GPA close to that mark. Another poster suggested an ASN program. That isn’t a bad idea. You could then do an RN to BSN bridge program. Also, because you have a degree, the majority of your pre-reqs for a BSN are completed, so you will only be focusing on the nursing courses.

[AliF]

I've talked to lots of admissions people, and the general consensus is that new grades matter much more than old ones. The schools that look at your older GPA almost exclusively seem to be public, so I suggest looking into private universities. There are also quite a few that only take into consideration your pre-req GPA, so that should only help you.

I'd apply as broadly as you can to give yourself a chance to get into a program. What was the GPA you actually graduated with when you finished your bachelors? I have a hard time imagining it was a 1.8 when you were done.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Well, an ASN program isn't going to have less of a GPA requirement. At times they are even MORE competitive than BSN programs due to lower cost and shorter time to graduation. I am an ASN student and there are usually 300-400 applicants for 48 spots in the program. The GPA minimum is 2.5 to apply BUT the quality of people applying means your GPA has to be significantly higher than that to even remotely have a chance at getting in.

I did the same as you and had a mighty good time my first time around in college. I got serious as an adult though and maintained a near 4.0. My school admitted me on the first application. They only counted the classes that would apply toward my degree, so many of my poor grades did not play in (how exactly does one fail computer keyboarding???? Oh yeah...they fall asleep during the final from being drunk the night before. Genius that I was.).

Best of luck - this is not completely hopeless if you have done well as an adult. You will have to retake all math and science courses as they age off after 5 years. Do well in those and you will have a shot at this.

[MedicalMelody]

I actually have this same issue (old, icky GPA mucking up my shiny new GPA) and was advised to contact my old school and ask about "academic renewal.". Apparently, depending on the school, you can have up to one semester (give or take) "forgiven" so it no longer counts towards your cumulative GPA. You may also be able to petition to have old grades replaced with new ones if you have repeated classes and/or can prove proficiency. The best thing to do is check with a counselor at the school.

It is also true that new grades matter more, as do grades that are transferable and/or specific to your program. Again, check with a counselor; it is very likely that you can fix your GPA with a meeting and some paperwork.

-Melody