<p>As a student at Harvard, I do not agree that the average GPA at Harvard is a 3.7. You may be extrapolating that number from the recently released report that the Median grade at Harvard is an A-, which is true, but the interpretive leap in stating that the “average GPA is a 3.7” isn’t. The average GPA at Harvard is closer to the 3.4-3.5 range (or at least it was in the data we used from 2008 in our Statistics regression project).</p>
<p>^^ Thanks for clarifying. That explains why the kid I know worked his tail off for a 3.8 and why I thought he said he graduated magna cum laude in his field. It’s because he did, I looked up the cutoff and it was 3.764.</p>
<p>The stress is there because getting into Harvard isn’t the end of the line. Most students at Harvard (and other similar schools) seek higher degrees after graduation. Imagine how difficult it is to compete against 30,000 applicants for a coveted spot at the big H. Then, four years later you’re now competing against all those kids who got those spots. The overwhelming majority of Harvard grads will be just fine, but they’re all not automatically headed on to Harvard Law or Harvard med or Stanford, etc.</p>
<p>These are kids used to being the best of the best, most have always put tons of pressure on themselves to live up to the highest standards possible, and being at Harvard is where a lot of the kids are finally weeded out amongst themselves. And this amidst the first years of “freedom” from parents which are obviously also years of challenges and anxieties.</p>
<p>So while some will remain among the “best of the best,” now that they are competing against each other, many of them are now also going to be some of “the rest,” at least to themselves, and it can make for lots of emotional turmoil.</p>
<p>I agree ChicagoMama. I already feel nervous about competing with ~1600 super amazing people.</p>
<p>My experience there among “the rest” was very liberating. Suddenly I couldn’t be the best no matter what, so it stopped bothering me. I still worked really hard, but I did it for myself and for no one else.</p>