GPAs from different schools---which matters most?

[Steven Scott]

Greetings!

When I apply to graduate school, I'm going to have to send in transcripts from two different schools---one will be from a university I attended 15 years ago and where I received nearly half of my college credits, and the other will be from my graduating university.

My GPA from the school I attended 15 years ago was abysmal at best. Since returning to school, my grades have been stellar. Not to brag, but looking at my transcripts, you can see that the student I am now vs. the one I was 15 years ago are poles apart.

I know both GPAs will be taken in to consideration but will my graduating GPA be weighed more heavily?

I don't want the admissions committee to be concerned that the student I was so many years ago is anything like the one I am now. While the reasons that I struggled academically were due to medical issues and not because of late-night partying and hangovers, I worry that my past will continue to haunt me, no matter how hard I tried to prove otherwise.

[high_hopes]

Many graduate programs focus on your last two years of academic study. I recommend asking the programs you are interested in applying to if this is the approach they take if it isn't clear on their websites. You could also explain this in your application and also have your letter writes discuss what you have been like as a student recently.