How much will a decade old GPA hurt me?

[Steven Scott]

I completed three years of my undergraduate education nearly 11 years ago dropped out with an embarrassing GPA. I'm returning to school next month much more prepared and focused than I was years ago.

My question is, if (and believe me, I will) keep my GPA up at this new university, will graduate schools be willing to forgive my terrible performance from years back or will that ghost continue to haunt me? 

Since I'm attending a different university, I'll have a GPA of 4.0 starting out.

Thanks!

[Nico Corr]

I was in a similar situation a few years ago. I started out at a local Community College and earned abysmal grades my first three semesters. I spent six years going to school part time and working full time. Left CC with a 2.5 GPA, transferred into a prestigious state school and graduated two years later with a 3.8. My decade old grades have not held me back in any way, shape or form, and I even got in to every grad school I applied to. Employers and schools are usually not fazed by decade old awful grades if you show an upwards trajectory in later semesters. It's certainly something that can be overcome.