Does GPA matter after graduating?

luvmy3kids · Apr 21, 2007

This is a good question. I have a BS degree and I ended up with a 3.2 GPA. Now that I'm enrolled at a CC I have completed one course (last fall semester) and I got an A (in anatomy) and it says I have a 4.0. They didn't add that to my 3.2... which is good for me... but very confusing.

HM2VikingRN, RN · Apr 21, 2007

Get good grades in the core prerequisites for BSN. I was wait listed for my accelerated program dt a C in composition in 1978. (Ironic because I was a technical writer for 20 years after college.) I was accepted but it caused me a lot of heartache for about 2 weeks.

ICRN2008, BSN, RN · Apr 21, 2007

I've found out the hard way in the past that a less-than-optimal GPA (in community college, university, or even high school) can have a way of coming back to haunt you. I wish I had worked harder in college the first time, because then I wouldn't have been turned down for PA school and initially wait-listed for nursing school It's not as if my GPA was even that low for my first degree; I had almost 3.5! This time I worked harder, earned almost a 4.0, and was accepted to grad school on the first try.

queenjean · Apr 21, 2007

I suspect it varies by institution.

In my first degree, I had a cumulative grade point average, and a departmental grade point average.

While applying for nursing school, they looked at cumulative grade point average as one aspect of acceptance into the program--the higher your overall GPA, the more likely you were to be accepted. BUT they also had a minimum requirement in the science classes and some of the pre-nursing classes.

And, like others have said, if you are applying for a more advanced degree later on, or a different program, once again your GPA will come into play.

I get annoyed when students in my class say something about "I just need a 40% on the final to pass the class" or "An A is the same as a C in nursing classes--still a nurse if you pass the NCLEX." I think that is really short sighted. While technically what they say is true, if any of them want to go on to get their BSN or to become an ARNP later, those grades DO make a difference. One of my classmates got an extremely low score on the final, passed the class, talks about how there is no difference between an A nurse and a C nurse and how she's proud to be a C nurse, and then later tells me she is going to apply to a PA program at a local university. I didn't say anything, but I was thinking, yeah, that's a highly competitive program; I'm thinking you'll be changing your song when you hear how much they value a GPA in determining suitable applicants. You might wish you had worked a little harder to be that B nurse, or even the A nurse.

Patti 2nd gen RN · Apr 21, 2007

Yes, your GPA matters if you are going further with your education, or if you are going into research...but in the real world of hands on nursing, no one gives a flying ****--you prove yourself on a day to day basis when taking care of patients, and all the things that kept your grades down amy or may not apply to on-the-job learning and performance...

rnin02 · Apr 21, 2007

I think it depends some on the university you are transferring too. Our local community college has some type of agreement (there's a special name, but I can't remember right now) with the local university, if you graduate with your associates you are automatically accepted at the university and your degree transfers. If I remember correctly, you start with a fresh GPA. I know to get into the business program, you have to have a certain GPA, and I'm sure other programs are like that, but I think our nursing program would just take you into the program, no matter what your GPA was, for RN to BSN. MSN is probably different.

MiaNJ · Apr 21, 2007

I think it depends some on the university you are transferring too. Our local community college has some type of agreement (there's a special name, but I can't remember right now) with the local university, if you graduate with your associates you are automatically accepted at the university and your degree transfers. If I remember correctly, you start with a fresh GPA. I know to get into the business program, you have to have a certain GPA, and I'm sure other programs are like that, but I think our nursing program would just take you into the program, no matter what your GPA was, for RN to BSN. MSN is probably different.

I looked into more than 20 nursing programs around my state and surrounding states, and also asked my friends/family in farther states about the programs. They all had minimum GPA for acceptance into their programs.

Maybe for a person that is Already an RN and wants a BSN, it's different and they may be more lenient about GPA in some schools.

But for regular BSN program, and for people transferring from CC to BSN, I have always seen a mininum GPA and it's usually at least 3.0 or better.

MiaNJ · Apr 21, 2007

Sorry for being patchy.
He also said one starts on a clean slate with 0 GPA after transferring. He was like his turning 21 and he knows the boy with turn riot - partying and stuff- and the boy would not have his 3.8 GPA to have as a cushion at the 4 Yr college.

Yes, that may be true for most schools, like I said before, that the GPA doesn't get calculated or added to the new grades in your new school that you will transfer into.

Also, your professor was probably mostly referring to 'other' degrees like liberal arts, business, etc. not necessarily nursing.

I just finished my second degree BSN in nursing and previously had a BA in psych, and I also had taken courses at different community colleges.

Bottom line, the requirements to get into a BSN nursing program are quite different than many other programs. If your goal is nursing, then you should try to get the best grades you can since the schools DO look at GPA to determine which students to admit. The problem is that nursing school admissions are competitive and if you read around this site and others, you will see many students are on waiting lists, or some don't get in.

There also is a shortage of nursing instructors, so most schools have to be selective and want to choose the best students that they feel will succeed, and they would not want poor GPAs.

When I went to open houses for BSN programs, I always heard ' if you are a C student, don't even bother applying here'. They suggested that those with C's, especially in the science course, to try taking them again to have higher chances of getting in the program.

rnin02 · Apr 21, 2007

I looked into more than 20 nursing programs around my state and surrounding states, and also asked my friends/family in farther states about the programs. They all had minimum GPA for acceptance into their programs.
Maybe for a person that is Already an RN and wants a BSN, it's different and they may be more lenient about GPA in some schools.
But for regular BSN program, and for people transferring from CC to BSN, I have always seen a mininum GPA and it's usually at least 3.0 or better.

Well, the program I was accepted into was RN to BSN, and they must have been lenient on GPAs, because I got accepted. I truly don't recall a mininum of 3.0 being required. My GPA was wrecked because of mistakes when I was young and dumb, and those bad grades stay with you for many, many years (at the same school), my "core" nursing classes had fairly decent grades (As and Bs mainly), but my GPA was fairly stinky. I'm pretty sure they didn't just look at the "core" classes though. My university has some sort of agreement worked out with the local CC, so that might explain it too.

MiaNJ · Apr 21, 2007

I am going to a CC for my nursing. One of my teachers said in class that grades at a CC does not really matter since you transfer credits not grades to a 4 Yr college. But don't schools look at the grades you earn to determine who they'll take or are they after your payment of tuition?
As I plan on getting a BSN later, do I need to still be concerned about the grades I get or should just passing be OK with me?
Do 4 Yr schools look at grades or just the fact that one is an ADN?
Do employers look at graduating GPA, whether you graduate as a PTK member and all that stuff?
Thanks

Best thing you can do, look at the schools you would want to tranfer into, and check out their transfer requirements for the program you want.

They usually have this online or you can call for their catalog and admission requirements.

Most employers don't look at GPA. But a resume that shows honors or other achievements can be impressive. However, with nursing, I rarely see employers asking for a specific GPA. Besides, most nursing schools have a minimum GPA for passing each course, and they usually don't like anything below C+ or B- in most schools. So there will not likely be a nursing graduate that is a D student, or even a straight C student.

mvanz9999, RN · Apr 23, 2007

With most colleges, yes, your professor was right about that...but here is the "catch":
If you want to apply for an advanced degree, the school you are applying to will hand-calculate your overall GPA and use it for admission purposes.
So there isn't an easy-out of you mess up at a CC.

This is basically what I was getting at. If you decide to go further (Masters, Doctorate) they are going to use your overall GPA. Where you took them is not going to matter.

Do you really want a B or a C anyway? I mean, an A certainly isn't going to hurt.

MiaNJ · Apr 23, 2007

Well, the program I was accepted into was RN to BSN, and they must have been lenient on GPAs, because I got accepted. I truly don't recall a mininum of 3.0 being required. My GPA was wrecked because of mistakes when I was young and dumb, and those bad grades stay with you for many, many years (at the same school), my "core" nursing classes had fairly decent grades (As and Bs mainly), but my GPA was fairly stinky. I'm pretty sure they didn't just look at the "core" classes though. My university has some sort of agreement worked out with the local CC, so that might explain it too.

Maybe RN to BSN is different, since you already have a nursing license and have proven that you are a competent nurse, and just want to further your college degree.

But the original poster was referring to starting in a CC with general Ed courses and I think pre nursing and get transferred to a BSN nursing program. I don't think the poster stated that the CC courses were going to end up in a RN license.

I went into nursing totally new, from a different background and all BSN programs I looked into, required at least 3.0 to get in. I didn't look into RN to BSN though, since it didn't apply to me. But I'm sure that case would be different since you are already a nurse.