<p>Reason I'm asking is because the Vanderbilt common data set for 2013-2014 lists the average GPA of admitted freshmen as 3.76. That's around what i have but i still feel so discouraged seeing all you people on CC with ridiculous stats. It seems like unless i have a 4.00 i have no shot. </p>
<p>Similarly, the UNC chapel hill common data set says that 97% of admitted freshman had above a 3.75 GPA. Looking at CC acceptance threads i see numerous students admitted with a 3.6 or 3.7 (albeit mostly instate). </p>
<p>The CDS is from data reported by the schools, so unless they’re cooking the books (not unheard of, think CMC), then it should be accurate. </p>
<p>I don’t think the demographic of CC is representative of the range of applicants/acceptances at most schools. </p>
<p>You posted this in more than one place, but the answer is the same as on your other thread. It is very rare for it to be incorrect. 3.7 is really the cutoff for unhooked applicants even top schools (higher ranked than Vanderbilt). After that it is about test scores, ECs, etc. Also, remember that the average does include people who are hooked (athletes, legacies, URMs, etc.). And there may be some students with super high test scores but a little bit lower GPA, too.</p>
<p>The problem with the CDS reporting of HS GPA ranges for entering frosh is that each college uses its own weighting system to determining HS GPAs. Therefore, the HS GPA ranges listed in CDSes are not comparable from one college to another, unless the two colleges use the same weighting system (e.g. California public schools can be compared to each other, but they cannot be compared to other schools). You cannot know exactly how your HS GPA falls into the CDS reported ranges unless you know the weighting system and recalculate your HS GPA based on that.</p>
<p>Obviously, public universities may have different standards for in-state versus out-of-state applicants. Many schools also have different standards for different majors or divisions, so use caution if you are applying to a particularly popular major or division at the school.</p>
<p>I’m guessing UNC are using weighted GPAs? If that’s the case, it’s 6.0 AP/5.0 Honors/4.0 Regular. If your instate, I wouldn’t worry about it too much. If you’re outta state, then you might want to recalculate it. </p>
<p>It looks like the UNC system uses whatever weighted GPA is calculated by the high school, but considered in context with the high school’s weighting system. That means that the GPAs shown on the CDS cannot be considered to be reliable since they can be from a mix of high schools with different GPA weighting methods.</p>
<p><a href=“UNC Admissions Blog: What Your GPA Doesn't Tell Us”>http://unc-admissions.blogspot.com/2011/09/what-your-gpa-doesnt-tell-us.html</a> indicates that admissions readers at UNC-CH look at the courses and grades holistically and do not look at the GPA.</p>