Cumulative GPA

[ajs2286]

I am currently halfway through an 18 month accelerated BSN-RN program. I am already thinking about my future and preparing for when I apply to go back for my FNP, AGACNP or even possibly CRNA! So many options! I plan to take some time to get experience and then decide.

So far I have a 4.0 in the program. About 12 years ago I went to college for the first time (at 18 years old) and eventually failed out. I spent a lot of time retaking classes to bring up my gpa to apply for nursing school. The main classes I needed to get into nursing school (A&P, stats, Micro, nutrition, med term, ethics...) I got A's in. In a few other classes I got B's or C's (sociology, chem...). I still have some D's and F's on my transcript from 10-12 years ago in classes that I never retook and that do not apply to my BSN degree.

My question is what do schools look at for cumulative GPA? When I apply to graduate schools are they going to look at EVERY CLASS I have ever taken (including 10-12 years ago) or only the classes that make up my BSN degree? I know graduate programs are competitive so I'm working really hard to keep my gpa up, but I'm just worried those old classes are going to come back to bite me.

[JBudd, MSN]

I had a great GPA going into nursing school, and dumped it by getting a C for a 5 credit hour fundamentals class.

Got hired at the hospital I really wanted, they didn't ask about GPA, only if I graduated. Went to grad school many years later, sent transcripts but had no problem getting accepted. Had to take the GRE, and called the lady in admissions to see if what I thought were lousy scores in some areas were going to affect anything, she laughed and said they were better than most and not to worry about it. My grad school got rid of the GRE requirement as the scores had no correlation to graduation success.

I've been a good nurse for 37 years, and now teach, and guess what? GPAs mean squat once you're out. All people care about is competence. Had the best GPA of my life in the master's program, didn't mean a thing after I graduated. My SON hired me before I graduated.

I doubt very much your early classes will do anything to keep you from grad school. Good luck!