Will my poor GPA make it impossible to get into nursing school?

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I recently have been looking into various nursing programs. I didn't know what my GPA for high school was until I found out today when I received my transcript. The nursing program I was looking into requires a GPA of at least 2.0, and my GPA was 1.665. Since high school I was certified as a CNA, and received a 98% overall in my CNA class. I was moved around a lot in high school, and as a result my grades took a hit. I really want to get into nursing, but I'm afraid with my GPA that it will be an uphill struggle. To all you nurses out there- is all hope gone for me? Please help me! :sniff:

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It sounds like you have improved your learning skills in your CNA classes and this shows you will work hard for something you really want. Most nursing programs are very competitive and you will need a high gpa. Every program is slightly different. For example, the program I was just accepted into only took your last 12 credits of classes, so you could go to a college for one semester; work hard and end up with an excellent gpa. Good luck in getting in.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

It depends on the school. The nursing programs around here pretty much require you to complete all of your general prerequisites at the college before even applying to the nursing program. My school doesn't base acceptance on GPA. They accept based on grades in nursing prereq classes only.

So, check around. If it is like that there, just go to a community college or something and get all your prereqs knocked out with as high grades as you can. Then, nursing programs will base their acceptance on your college GPA (if they look at GPA at all) rather than highschool. I think your CNA experience will also be a plus.

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You have to take prerequisites to enter an RN program. The nursing school will be looking at your GPA in your college classes. You have plenty of opportunity to turn this around.

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I agree with everyone else. Most of the schools I have looked into don't look at your high school GPA, rather your college GPA for all the pre (and sometimes co) req classes.

I would suggest going to the college where you want to apply to the program at, and speaking with an advisor or someone in the nursing program, and getting any kind of information you can about the application requirements. I have found that most colleges offer an information session on the program that is a pretty helpful starting point.

Hope that helps!!!

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Thank you everyone for your insight! My ultimate goal is obviously to become an RN, but as of right now I am 24 with a 3 year old and an 8 month old. I really don't want to miss all of their precious moments while they are small, so I was looking into becoming an LPN first, working for a couple years, then going back for my RN. But now it seems pointless to put all of my time and energy into an LPN program, when I can be going forward with getting my RN. High school was rough for me, moved around a lot, had some issues, and didn't apply myself like I should have. But now that I have two beautiful babies, everytime I look at them I think about their future and how I don't want them to ever be in the position I am in now. My CNA class I was at the top of the class with a 98%. So I am thinking about asking the LPN program if they would consider allowing me to take the entrance exam anyways, and show them my CNA certificate. I have more determination now than ever. Thank you all so much for your wonderful advice!

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Um, I would not recommend that. I was going to go that route and then my mom said, "No i'm sorry, I cannot allow you to do that." She is a nurse manager, and LPNs are being pushed out of hospitals and RNs are more preferred now. The LPN's here make 9.00 an hour if they can get a job.

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Specializes in GYN/GON/Med-Surg/Oncology/Tele.
Um, I would not recommend that. I was going to go that route and then my mom said, "No i'm sorry, I cannot allow you to do that." She is a nurse manager, and LPNs are being pushed out of hospitals and RNs are more preferred now. The LPN's here make 9.00 an hour if they can get a job.

$9.00/ hr for an LPN is just ridiculous...The starting pay at my hospital for an NA with no experience is $9.35/hr.

Where exactly are you from?

To the OP, I agree that nursing depts. look at your college GPA rather than your high school GPA when considering you for admission. I would suggest attending a community college rather than a 4 yr school to take your pre-req's then if you desire a BSN instead of an ADN, transfer to a 4-yr school. It may be hard to get accepted straight into a 4yr school with your high school GPA but you'd also need to take either the SAT or ACT. With community college you'd only have to take like an placement test to see which reading and math classes you should start with.

Good luck!

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colleges look at your high school grades as a determiner for admission into the university/college. obviously universities are a bit more selective when it comes to gpa, but as long as you have a high school diploma you shouldn't have any trouble getting into a community college. nursing programs are extremely competitive and will typically not look at high school grades provided you have college credits. if you go ahead and take your pre-reqs for the rn program now and get a good solid gpa you shouldn't have any trouble getting into a rn program. as for the deciding between the lpn and rn program, i would advise getting the rn. i have a two year old, work full-time and go to school full-time and i know that the 2 years is a small sacrifice for what i will provide my family afterward. and i don't feel like i'm not spending enough time with my family.

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I have a Bachelors degree and have completed all the nursing prereqs within my major at the University. Since I did not take the prereqs at a community college will they also look at my cumulative GPA or just my GPA for the required prereqs? My cumulative is 3.162 and my GPA for the prereqs is along the lines of 2.5-.275. So what do you think? Can they also take the higher grade for a certain prereq. For example English 101 I got a C because my teacher was a prick he gave everyone C's but I'm an excellent writer. In my Research Writing course which is higher level 102 I received an A in. So would they be able to take this A instead of the C? I checked their transfer guide for biology and Trumans is equivalent to my BIO 198 which I got a C in but I recieved a B in BIO 197 which at their institution is higher level than my BIO 198. Will they take the B?

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I have a Bachelors degree and have completed all the nursing prereqs within my major at the University. Since I did not take the prereqs at a community college will they also look at my cumulative GPA or just my GPA for the required prereqs? My cumulative is 3.162 and my GPA for the prereqs is along the lines of 2.5-.275. So what do you think? Can they also take the higher grade for a certain prereq. For example English 101 I got a C because my teacher was a prick he gave everyone C's but I'm an excellent writer. In my Research Writing course which is higher level 102 I received an A in. So would they be able to take this A instead of the C? I checked their transfer guide for biology and Trumans is equivalent to my BIO 198 which I got a C in but I recieved a B in BIO 197 which at their institution is higher level than my BIO 198. Will they take the B?

It depends on the school; however, I have never heard of a school that will pick and choose grades. They either take the prereq grades or the cumulative GPA.

Good luck!

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Also, my school looks at both. You need 3.0 cumulative and a 3.5 in prereqs. To be competitive, you need higher.

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