<p>It can affect your chances (for example, if your school is known to have a very rigorous program and you still manage a 3.9, that’s definitely a plus for you), but it’s not necessarily the defining characteristic of your application. If you are at a lesser known school, you will need to shine a bit brighter, perhaps by doing some more exceptional research or whatnot, but it certainly can be done.</p>
<p>I’d definitely recommend trying to get as many REUs (summer research opportunities) at other quality schools as possible. Doing well in a professor’s lab over the summer is a great back door to get into a fantastic grad school. They also generally look for students from schools with fewer research opportunities, so you should stand a good chance at landing one.</p>