My private high school is quite competitive and it’s very difficult for even the brightest students to get straight A’s… I’m taking as many AP’s as I can but my grades are very much in the B+/A- range. Even B’s in the sciences. My friends from other schools seem to have great grades but the teachers seem to not be as strict at grading… Everything else in my application is solid but my unweighted GPA. Will that be a big disadvantage for me?
Your grades will be reviewed in context. If your GPA places you in the top 10%, then it will likely not have a big impact. If you’re outside the top 10%, then obviously at least 10% are able to earn higher grades even in a competitive environment. If your school does not rank, the AO can still estimate what your rank would be.