<p>ex: a 3.5 at princeton is much more impressive than a 3.5 at an average university… b/c Princeton’s classes are harder (it’s princeton.)… so just because the average GPA is lower doesn’t mean people aren’t doing as well (as paradoxical as that sounds); it just means the classes are harder, and anyone with a 3.2 at princeton is doing better than a person with a 3.2 at an average state university (IMO; some others may disagree with me)</p>
<p>and also, there are people above and below that GPA average. there are those in the 2 range and those with perfect 4.0s (or close to that… 3.9+ for sure)</p>