<p>How important is GPA when it comes to the ivies/other high end colleges? I have a 3.84 unweighted right now as a sophomore, with the most rigorous schedules I can take. I tend to do decently on standardized tests (790 chem SAT, 202 PSAT).</p>
<p>But after reading these boards, it seems like everyone considers a competitive ivy GPA to be 3.9+. This is pretty depressing. I have decent EC's (cross country, track) and will do volunteering over summer. Will a 3.8x GPA be a problem for ivy league colleges? Weighted it's a 4.53, but it seems like colleges seem to disregard weight.</p>
<p>Don’t sweat the GPA too much. I think you’re in the proper range. The hard thing is making your essays and ECs stand out. There’s not much you can do but keep on doing well in school for your GPA, but you can become more involved or do other events/competitions to expand your resume and your chances.</p>
<p>There are way more students scoring in the highest GPA levels than the highest SAT scores.</p>
<p>If you look at the self-reported grade averages reported by collegeboard for the PSAT, <a href=“http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/VA_09_05_02_01-juniors.pdf[/url]”>Higher Education Professionals | College Board; (see Table 4, Total Group), you will find 23% report an A (19%) or A+ (4%) average. What this says is that there are plenty of kids with high GPAs even if the numbers are somewhat inflated by wishful juniors rounding up.</p>
<p>If you compare the top 4% or top 23% to the SAT percentile ranks, <a href=“http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/sat_percentile_ranks_2008.pdf[/url]”>Higher Education Professionals | College Board, you will see the 96% level to be in the low 700’s and the 77% level to be about 600. </p>
<p>I’d agree that 3.84 is in the range. GPA doesn’t provide near as much separation of top students as SAT scores. There are other factors to be sure. Ivies and other top schools are looking for extraordinary people.</p>
<p>GPA is only as good as the rigor of the coursework that got you that GPA. The point is, is that colleges will look at your course curriculum in the context of your school. This is pretty much what has been stressed at every single college info session/tour that I’ve been to so far. So, just take challenging courses, while, of course, not losing sleep.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>honestly I would say it’s more like 3.75+ unweighted.</p>
<p>sorry to barge in…but if my gpa is 3.69 then do i need to get that symbolic 3.75</p>
<p>as to the author i’m pretty sure gpa is pretty much most important thing
and i think your GPA is fine
friend of mine got into every single college he applied to with 3.8 and 2400
but he also had nice EC’s</p>
<p>Rigor of your courses is very important. I know a kid who maintained a 3.9 GPA, which is excellent but which some people on these boards might be skeptical of in terms of his ability to make an elite school. Well, he took all AP classes, rocked the SATs, and is now at Princeton.</p>
<p>A 3.84 is perfectly acceptable. GPA is not something you need a 4 in; it is much better to have a 3.85 GPA and great SAT scores than a 4 and mediocre SAT scores. As long as your GPA doesn’t drop towards slacker territory (probably 3.7 and below, depending on the difficulty of the university) then you’ll appear as qualified as any other candidate academically.</p>
<p>I got into Harvard and Princeton with a 3.87. Granted, there was an upward trend. In the end, though, it all comes down to your whole application. If the rest of your application is compelling anything 3.8+ will not keep you out.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. Helps alot =]</p>