How hard is it to maintain a 4.0 gpa as compared to high school?

<p>In most high schools, as long as you work hard, a 4.0 is a practically given. Is this the same for most colleges?</p>

<p>it is extremely rare that you maintain a 4.0 exactly past freshman year. It's not too unusual to finish your first semester w/ a 4.0. But after that things start to kick in-harder classes, more time w/ friends, jobs, etc.</p>

<p>Pretty tough. People do get 3.8s and 3.9s but a 4.0 is very rare.</p>

<p>yea....at the University of Chicago for example, there have been many years where not one person in the entire graduating class will have a 4 point.</p>

<p>It depends on the college..where i'm studying right now i know many people with 4.0 gpas which of course is not a good thing...</p>

<p>based on my experience, highschool is harder</p>

<p>ive had tyrants</p>

<p>I've never met a person that had a 4.0 after 1st year.</p>

<p>It's rare to find someone in college with a 4.0 gpa, particularly after the first year. Particularly at large state universities, grades are curved in many courses such that the mean grade is a "C" -- unlike high school, the upper portion of the curve will be a lot flatter, much more like a true bell curve. Even for the courses that aren't curved, college courses are considerably more difficult than high school AP courses, so working hard, in and of itself, doesn't guarantee you an "A."</p>

<p>Nothing in and of itself guarantees an A, but hardwork is a lot more reliable than intelligence and even preparation. Believe it.</p>

<p>What's the difference between hardwork and preparation?</p>

<p>...Riptide...</p>

<p>In HS are you talking a 4.0 weighted or U/W? I'd like to know what cream puff HS you go to if it is a given to get a 4.0. If it is that easy don't count on a 4.0 at the college level...</p>

<p>It's pretty hard to get a 4.0 in college. I pulled a perfect GPA in 4 years of high school, but never once in college. Don't be too hard on yourself, just do the best you can.</p>

<p>TheKid4740, I think 'preparation' refers to your previous academic background (e.g. how tough your high school courses were).</p>

<p>Depends where you go and what your focus is. A 4.0 in psychology at a crappy school like the one I go to is a hell of a lot easier than a 4.0 at a challenging high school.</p>

<p>"In most high schools, as long as you work hard, a 4.0 is a practically given. Is this the same for most colleges?"</p>

<p>If you mean most crappy high schools, then I agree.</p>

<p>Nobody in our current senior class had a 4.0 past freshman year at my high school. So I don't know what sort of school you go to, but I doubt its easy to get a 4.0 in college, especially if your high school is so easy that "a 4.0 is practically given."</p>

<p>it's pretty hard, but it depends on your major and how you spread your hard classes
-however, it isnt impossible to do it for all 4 years of college</p>

<p>Depends on your major your college, and your high school. I mean I pretty much work exactly I did in high school and I'm getting the about exactly the same GPA (only since its college its considered higher than it was in high school) so I'm actually doing alot better than alot of people. But 4.0.. I mean 3.8-3.9 is just as good, don't kill yourself to get it.</p>

<p>I know tons of people who worked hard at my high school and didn't have a 4.0</p>

<p>my college graduates like, 0-2 4.0s per year.</p>