There is no single competitive GPA for every ABSN program. A school may review your overall college GPA, prerequisite GPA, science GPA, or grades from your most recent credits. First, check whether you meet each published minimum. Then look for any admitted-student GPA data the school provides. Meeting a minimum makes you eligible for review; it does not guarantee admission.
A 3.0 cumulative GPA meets the stated minimum at some ABSN programs. A 3.5 may strengthen an application. Neither figure is a universal admissions benchmark. Many programs also set a separate minimum for prerequisite or science courses, and you must meet every one.
Minimum GPA vs. Competitive GPA
A minimum GPA is the cutoff for review. Below it, many programs will not read your application.
A competitive GPA is the range of admitted students. Most programs do not publish it, and it changes with each applicant pool.
The gap between the two can be large:
- Baldwin Wallace University requires a 2.8 cumulative GPA to apply. It reports that admitted students average above 3.0.
- University of South Florida requires a 3.0 overall GPA and a 3.0 prerequisite GPA. It states that applicants above these minimums may be more competitive.
- Cal State Fullerton receives about 600–800 applications per year. About 200 meet the requirements, for 40 seats.
At Cal State Fullerton, meeting the minimum places you in a pool about five times larger than the class.
The Four GPAs ABSN Programs May Check
Programs calculate GPA in different ways. Calculate each one a school requests before comparing yourself with its minimum.
Cumulative GPA
Your GPA across all college coursework. Some schools count only undergraduate credits. Baldwin Wallace counts all university coursework, including graduate courses.
Example: You earned 120 credits with a 2.7 GPA. Your cumulative GPA is 2.7, even if your recent grades are much higher.
Prerequisite GPA
Your GPA in the courses the program requires before enrollment, often including anatomy and physiology, microbiology, chemistry, nutrition, statistics, and psychology.
Example: A&P I (4 credits, B), A&P II (4 credits, A), Microbiology (4 credits, C), Chemistry (4 credits, B).
Grade points: 12 + 16 + 8 + 12 = 48. Credits: 16. Prerequisite GPA: 48 ÷ 16 = 3.0.
Science GPA
Your GPA in a defined subset of science (and sometimes math) prerequisites. The course list varies by school. Florida Atlantic University’s science GPA includes A&P I and II, microbiology, chemistry, and college algebra.
Example: Your overall prerequisite GPA is 3.2, but a C in chemistry drops your science GPA to 2.9. At a school requiring a 3.0 science GPA, you are not eligible, even with a strong overall GPA.
Recent-Credit GPA (Last 60 Units)
Your GPA in your most recent coursework. Cal State Fullerton requires a 3.25 GPA in the most recent 60 semester units (90 quarter units).
Example: You finished a degree years ago with 120 credits at 2.7, then completed 60 more credits at 3.5.
- Recent 60-unit GPA: 3.5. Meets Cal State Fullerton’s 3.25 minimum.
- New cumulative GPA: (120 × 2.7 + 60 × 3.5) ÷ 180 = 534 ÷ 180 = 2.97. Still below a 3.0 cumulative minimum.
This is common for career changers. Strong recent work can make you eligible at one school but not another.
How Retakes and Grading Rules Change Your GPA
Retaking a course helps only as much as the program’s calculation rules allow. Three programs handle retakes three ways:
| Program | How repeated prerequisites count |
|---|---|
University of South Florida | Applicants may submit their best grade for each prerequisite |
Florida Atlantic University | Repeated prerequisites are averaged |
Baldwin Wallace University | Both the original and retaken grades count in the GPA; preference goes to applicants with no more than two attempts per prerequisite |
Other rules to check:
- Grade floor. FAU does not accept a C- in a prerequisite. USF accepts a C- from schools using plus/minus grading.
- Pass/fail and AP/CLEP. USF counts these as a B (3.0) in the prerequisite GPA.
- Rounding. USF does not round GPAs. A 2.99 does not meet a 3.0 minimum.
- Recency. Baldwin Wallace requires prerequisites completed within seven years. Cal State Fullerton requires science prerequisites completed within five years. USF has no expiration but gives an advantage to courses completed within five years.
What Your GPA Means: A Practical Table
| Your GPA situation | What to check | Next step |
|---|---|---|
Meets every published minimum by a clear margin | Admitted-student averages, prerequisite recency, other application requirements | Apply. Focus on essays, interviews, and deadlines. |
Exactly at the minimum (e.g., 3.0 at a 3.0 program) | Whether the school rounds; whether it publishes admitted averages | You are eligible for review. Strengthen other parts of the application, or apply to programs where you exceed the minimum. |
Cumulative GPA meets the minimum, but science or prerequisite GPA does not | The school’s science course list and retake rule | You are not eligible yet. Retake or complete the courses pulling the GPA down, then recalculate. |
2.75 overall at a program with a 2.75 overall minimum and a 3.0 science minimum | Your science GPA, calculated with that school’s course list | A 2.75 overall does not establish eligibility. You must also meet the 3.0 science GPA. |
Cumulative GPA below the minimum, strong recent coursework | Programs that use recent-credit or prerequisite GPA | Target programs that weight recent work. Confirm with admissions how older grades are treated. |
Below every minimum at your target programs | Which courses would raise each GPA fastest | Complete or retake coursework before applying. Recalculate before each cycle. |
Verified Program Examples
Requirements checked September 24, 2026. Confirm on each program’s page before applying; requirements change between cycles.
| Program | Cumulative GPA minimum | Prerequisite/science GPA minimum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
2.8 | 3.0 prerequisite | Admitted students average above 3.0. Applicants below 3.0 may be asked for more documentation. No TEAS or HESI. | |
3.0 | 3.0 science | Applications below either minimum are not reviewed. Decisions based on cumulative GPA, science GPA, and interview. | |
3.0 | 3.0 prerequisite | Meeting minimums does not guarantee admission. TEAS/HESI scores are not reviewed. | |
Not used; see recent-credit GPA | 3.25 in most recent 60 semester units | Only applicants meeting the minimum are considered. TEAS and HESI scores are not accepted. |
To compare programs that list lower minimums, see our low GPA ABSN programs directory. Check each program’s own page for its current figures.
If Your GPA Falls Short
Take or retake prerequisites. This is the most direct fix when your prerequisite or science GPA is below the minimum. Check the program’s retake rule first; a retake may be averaged rather than replace the original grade.
Build a recent record. Additional coursework raises your recent-credit GPA quickly. It raises a cumulative GPA slowly when you already have many credits.
Do not rely on test scores to offset a GPA below a minimum. Where a GPA minimum is published, applicants below it may not be reviewed. Test policies also differ: some programs require the TEAS or HESI, and others, including Cal State Fullerton and USF, do not use them. See our TEAS exam guide for programs that do.
Use experience and essays where they count. Healthcare experience, leadership, and strong essays can strengthen an eligible application. USF lists healthcare experience and leadership among factors that can help. They do not replace a required minimum. See crafting a winning ABSN application.
Understand rolling admissions. Rolling review changes timing, not requirements. Seats can fill before the final deadline, so apply early when a program reviews on a rolling basis.
Your GPA Action Plan
- List your target programs. Record every GPA each one requires: cumulative, prerequisite, science, or recent-credit.
- Calculate each GPA the school requests. Use that school’s course list and credit rules.
- Compare each GPA with every minimum. You must meet all of them, not just one.
- Check retake and grading rules. Note whether retakes replace, average, or add to the original grade, and whether C- grades or pass/fail courses count.
- Ask admissions how older grades are treated. Ask about recency limits and whether recent coursework carries more weight.
- Look for admitted-student data. Use any published averages or applicant-to-seat figures to judge how competitive you are.
- Decide: apply now or improve first. If you meet every minimum, apply. If a single prerequisite is pulling a GPA below a minimum, retake it before applying.
Review required courses in our ABSN prerequisites guide, and see how to choose the best ABSN program for other factors to compare.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a 3.0 GPA good enough for an ABSN program?
A 3.0 cumulative GPA meets the stated minimum at some programs, including Florida Atlantic University and the University of South Florida. Both also require a separate 3.0 prerequisite or science GPA. Meeting the minimum makes you eligible for review, not admitted.
What GPA is competitive for an ABSN?
It depends on the program and the year’s applicants. Few schools publish admitted-student GPAs. Baldwin Wallace reports an admitted average above 3.0 against a 2.8 minimum.
Does my science GPA matter more than my overall GPA?
At some schools, both are hard minimums. FAU requires 3.0 in each and reviews applications only when both are met.
Can I get into an ABSN with a low undergraduate GPA from years ago?
Possibly. Some programs, such as Cal State Fullerton, use your most recent 60 units. Others use your full cumulative GPA. Ask each program how older grades are treated.