<p>Does anybody know the average GPA of a Grinnell student?
Somebody said that it's impossibleish to get A's. input anyone?</p>
<p>It's not impossible to get A's although you will have to work hard for them. Grinnell does use plusses and minuses in their grading so it isn't unusual to get an A-, B+ etc. Grades will run the gamut.</p>
<p>This article from the student newspaper is a couple of years old, but sheds some light on your questions. Far from being impossible to get an A, a little under half of all grades awarded are A or A- (but from what I've heard, you still have to work pretty hard for these grades in most courses.) And at least a few years ago, according to the article, the average GPA was 3.26.
The</a> Scarlet and Black</p>
<p>You have to learn to live with the fact that you probably won't maintain a 4.0 GPA, even with hard work, at Grinnell. Some profs don't believe in As. But grad schools recognize the rigor of the school and don't expect a perfect GPA either.</p>
<p>thanks you guys! that was very helpful. i can def deal without getting a 4.0, tho ima try my best to fight it haha.</p>
<p>Nearly 300 students, close to 1/5th of the school, made Dean's List in the spring semester. Dean's List is 3.75 or above, and an A- is graded at 3.67. Taken together, this all means that plenty of students are getting As.</p>
<p>Certainly, parent2009, As are given and a rare student might emerge after 4 years with a perfect GPA. I just wouldn't suggest that anyone base his or her self esteem on achieving this. My son made Dean's List first semester and not second semester. We certainly didn't give him a hard time about it. That's all I'm saying.</p>
<p>There is a Scarlet & Black article from 2005 (not the one quoted above) in which a school official says that since the early 80's, five students have graduated with a perfect 4.0. That works out to be about one student every five years.</p>
<p>Well, see--that doesn't surprise me a bit.</p>
<p>I don't think the original poster was seriously asking whether she or he could expect to graduate with a 4.0, which would be rare at any selective college or university and not just Grinnell. Rather, the question was more generally whether As are "impossible" to get, and the answer is clearly no. Grinnell students work hard and the professors reward them accordingly. There are plenty of As handed out at Grinnell. </p>
<p>Bethievt, I certainly hope you wouldn't give your son a hard time for not making Dean's List! I would never have known that my daughter made Dean's List had the college not sent the parents a congratulatory letter. I've had three kids in three different colleges so far and I couldn't tell you any of their GPAs. Once they're in college their grades are their business.</p>
<p>I totally agree, parent2009. We don't ask and he doesn't tell.</p>
<p>Oh, except he did just offer the info. Three As and one A-. Time to break out the champagne! But he's not taking maths or sciences and he's a great test taker. Anyway, the point is, yes you can get some As, just don't count on doing as well as in high school.</p>
<p>parent2009 and bethievt,
The parents are sent a congratulatory letter? Our daughter earned all A's and A-s and earned a 3.8 this semester (earned 20 hours but 2 of the credits were for music groups with no grade) but we have heard nothing. She was tickled, printed the report and posted it on the refrigerator! She was a bit disappointed that the grade report did not have "Dean's List" on it. Will she get anything?
I doubt there will be a repeat Dean's List this semester. She's moving on to harder chemistry and math but it sure was confidence building to start off so nicely.</p>
<p>The semester just ended -- give it a little time!</p>
<p>Yes, hornet. This is too early. My son self-reported his grades to me. I believe you will receive a lovely letter in the mail. Congratulations!</p>
<p>Thanks, folks. Daughter was anxious as her friends at our the big state flagship have already gotten recognition. The bar is really high (3.75) at Grinnell. At our local flagship,Dean's is 3.25 which seems awfully low for what is described as a "public ivy".</p>
<p>Cornell's was 3.5 when I attended in the 70s. Did you get your notice?</p>
<p>Ours arrived Monday, postmarked the 21st of January.</p>
<p>The Dean's list came Monday. At first I thought it was an invitation to something-small card in small envelope-nice and not too showy-I like that. It has disappeared from our study. I think my husband may be carrying it about (although I know he wouldn't show it off)!
Our postmark was 1/21 as well. The list of kids is up on the Grinnell site as well.</p>
<p>Yes, we got ours too. It's not an expectation we have of our son, but it certainly is nice!</p>