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What a nursing school GPA calculator does and when to use it
This calculator estimates the overall, science and non-science GPAs NursingCAS reports, and adds your prerequisite GPA and the GPA of your last 60 credits. Some nursing programs look at that last-60 figure, and each one works it out itself.
Scenario
Say you have 120 credits: a 2.6 average over the first 60 and a 3.6 average over the last 60. Your overall GPA is 3.1, but your last-60 GPA is 3.6.
It suits career changers and students with a rough first year. It needs letter grades and credits; pass, no-pass and withdrawal grades don’t count toward any figure.
How to use the nursing school GPA calculator
Enter years in order
Put your oldest year first. Last 60 credits counts back from the newest course in the bottom block, so the order matters.
Add each course
Fill in Grade, Credits and Subject, and tick Prereq on each course your program lists. Anatomy, microbiology and chemistry are science. Load common prerequisites, above an empty course list, adds a typical nursing list with Prereq ticked and grades blank; programs vary, so delete any yours doesn’t ask for.
Add more years
Open Options, press Add year and pick its name in the year picker. Last 60 credits shows once you pass 60.
How to calculate your last 60 credits GPA for nursing school
Last 60 GPA = quality points of your newest courses ÷ their credits
Newest courses
Counted back from your latest course until they reach 60 credits.
Quality points
A year’s GPA × its credits, or the sum over its courses.
Whole courses
A course that crosses 60 counts in full.
Say you started slowly and finished strong over four years of 30 credits each.
| Year | Credits | Year GPA | Quality points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freshman | 30 | 2.60 | 78.0 |
| Sophomore | 30 | 3.00 | 90.0 |
| Junior | 30 | 3.50 | 105.0 |
| Senior | 30 | 3.70 | 111.0 |
Overall: 78 + 90 + 105 + 111 = 384 quality points ÷ 120 credits = 3.20.
Last 60 credits: start with Senior (30 credits), add Junior to reach 60, and stop. (111 + 105) ÷ 60 = 216 ÷ 60 = 3.60.
Enter those courses and the calculator shows Undergraduate GPA (NursingCAS) 3.20 and Last 60 credits 3.60. Each year here is ten 3-credit courses; six B’s and four C’s make the 2.60 freshman year.
How to read your NursingCAS GPA result
The headline is your undergraduate overall GPA, and 3.20 shows a B badge. Science GPA, Non-science GPA and Prerequisite GPA appear under it, and Last 60 credits joins them once your courses add up to 60.
A last-60 figure above your overall shows that your recent work is stronger than your early record. If it’s lower, your newest grades are pulling the overall down. Open GPA planner to see what your next credits need to average for your undergraduate, science or prerequisite GPA.
Tip
Programs differ on minimum grades and on counting retakes. Keep one copy per program under My saves, each with that program’s settings.
Open Show how it’s calculated to see how many courses went into the last 60, along with a by-year table of science and non-science GPAs.
What changes your last 60 credits GPA
Where the cut falls. If your senior year had 27 credits, Senior plus Junior would make only 57. The newest sophomore course, a 3-credit B, then joins to reach 60: (99.9 + 105 + 9) ÷ 60 = 3.57 if that senior year still averaged 3.70.
Program rules differ. Programs that ask for a last-60 GPA each decide how to count it, including whether to split a course at the 60-credit line.
Graduate years. Courses in a Graduate year get their own Graduate GPA and stay out of the overall. On this calculator they still count toward Prerequisite GPA, and toward Last 60 credits when they’re among your newest; nursing programs differ here.
Prerequisites below C. A ticked prerequisite below your minimum grade is flagged on its row and under the result. The minimum is C unless you pick C+ or B− under Minimum prerequisite grade in Options.
Quarter terms. NursingCAS counts a quarter hour as 0.667 of a semester hour, and so does this calculator once My school uses quarter credits is on in Options.
Repeats stay. NursingCAS counts every attempt, so a retaken course adds both grades. If a program you apply to directly counts only your latest attempt, tick My program counts only the latest attempt in Options: Latest-attempt GPA appears next to your NursingCAS GPA, which doesn’t change.
Science or not. Biology, biochemistry, chemistry, physics and other science make up Science GPA here; math and all other courses go to Non-science.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my last 60 credit hours GPA?
Start with your most recent course and work backward, adding credits and quality points until you reach 60. Then divide the points by the credits.
Does NursingCAS calculate a last 60 credits GPA?
NursingCAS reports overall, science and non-science GPAs, and programs that want a last-60 GPA work it out themselves. Check each program’s admissions page for how it counts.
Does NursingCAS count repeated courses?
Yes, every attempt at a repeated course counts in your NursingCAS GPAs. Your college may show only the latest grade, but NursingCAS uses both.
Is math a science course for NursingCAS?
On this calculator, math and statistics go into the non-science GPA. They still count toward your overall and last-60 figures.
What counts as science GPA for nursing school?
Here, Science GPA covers biology, biochemistry, chemistry, physics and other sciences. Anatomy, physiology and microbiology count as biology.
Sources
- NursingCAS: Calculating Your GPAsNursingCAS Applicant Help Center
- NursingCAS: Grade Values ChartNursingCAS Applicant Help Center
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