How much of a difference does GPA make if you're not at the top
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Anonymous
My kid was 3.7 (UW, 4.2 W). She got generous scholarships from some of the schools on that list, and it also got her into Dickinson, Mount Holyoke, Franklin & Marshall (off the waitlist). So, if he does a bit better, he will have more options and probably more merit aid. I would not say to become some fake version of himself, to move up three places on the USNWR ranking. But you want him to learn how to prioritize school, so he will be in that habit for college (where there are even more distractions: including sex and alcohol/drugs). Let him pick what he is willing to cut. |
Anonymous
Similar profile with my kid who has applied to several schools on that list. It seemed to me in researching schools that difference between the 3.4 and the 3.7 is less about the types of school you can get admitted to than the amount you are going to pay. And also agree that it is great to have a lot of different interests but ultimately, school should be the priority. If he can't get at least a balance of As and Bs then he's not focusing on school enough and he should decide where to cut back. Those are all great things to do but not necessarily all at the same time. If he's in a play, maybe he doesn't do a sport that season. If it's an intense time for a sport, maybe he scales back the volunteer work. And, a job is great but harder to flex so maybe focus on working just in the summer. And, he should be gradually increasing rigor throughout HS. The first thing any college looks at is the transcript - what classes did you choose to take, where did you step up the rigor, what grades did you get. |
Anonymous
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He needs to work on not getting B- or lower grades. That really shows lack of mastery of the course and is in dangerous territory. Pull those up to B or B+ grades. Rather than dropping activities, that can likely be done by refocusing efforts and studying smartly.
Kids often put the least effort into subjects that are hard but then over perform in favorite subjects--shift that extra effort to bumping up those B- grades. |
Anonymous
What year did your kid graduate and what private school did they attend? BU, NYU, NEU, Tulane, and UMD (I don't know the others well enough) are not happening with that GPA from public school without some sort of hook. Big 3 is a different matter. OP doesn't say where her kid is at school, but most of this list is likely unrealistic, even ED. |
Anonymous
I know there are kids who can do that. I have another one who could and I feel like the same question might yield different answers for him, because the difference between the schools he might get into with a 4.0 vs. a 3.8 is much more dramatic and maybe worth significant sacrifice. But academics don’t come easily for this kid. He works hard for his grades. Even if he sacrificed all the extra curriculars, he also wouldn’t be looking at top schools. |
Anonymous
I’m assuming he enjoys theater and sports more than his job. Most kids would enjoy their activity more than flipping burgers. |
Anonymous
| I am all for extracurriculars and not care re top colleges, but honestly your list sounds like a lot for a freshman adjusting to high school. And as PP said, B- shows last of mastery of subject. I’d cut back a bit at least for now. Kids need downtime too. |
Anonymous
Oh and re volunteering - I’m assuming sports and theater are during the school year. So let him focus on school, spirts, and theater during the school year. Summer can be for working and volunteering. I’m suggesting how to balance things without cutting things entirely. One of my biggest regrets about high school is all the time I spent on activities. Since I had three or four hours of homework a night and o spent several hours a day on activities, I was often up past midnight working. I didn’t get enough sleep. |
Anonymous
Yeah this must be a top private gpa or someone with a hook |
Anonymous
This data is from my kid's public school Naviance, so may cover up to the last five years but it reflects the average GPA of kids accepted from our public school. (Yes, things have gotten more challenging over the past few years, but this is the data available). Obviously it's not taking into consideration test scores (which may have helped students) or other hooks. And it's an average, not a guarantee of admission. I made the lists as a point of comparison for OP who was wondering about different tiers of schools. Who knows, maybe in two years this 3.7-3.8 list will be the 3.85-3.9 list. |
Anonymous
| (The lists are also unweighted, and APs are popular at the school, so weighted GPAs might look different.) |
Anonymous
Lots depends on "other stuff" in that gpa range. If you have taken hard classes (BC Calc, AP Econ, APUSH etc) you have a chance. If you submit 1500+ scores you have a better chance. But 3.8 with few APs and test optional, or 13xx? Good luck. Feel bad for mcps students. Especially several friends I know who literally moved to MC for "a better education"  only to find they are facing a cage match with the rest of the inflated grade kids in MoCo just to get into UMd. That "better education" will serve them well. At Towson.
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Anonymous
You are kidding yourself if you think grade inflation isn't happening at most publics - J-R is notorious for it, with retakes of almost any test. Friends with kids in Fairfax report the same. Bigger picture, grade inflation is out of hand and should stop. But MoCo is far from the only school district that needs to change in this regard. This isn't even addressing your point correlating education with grades  .
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Anonymous
I’m sorry about your kid’s friends. This is what I worry most about. I don’t care where my kid goes to college as long as she is well adjusted, happy, and has a job after. My oldest is in 8th right now so we’re at the cusp of all this. She is friends with other high achievers and is bummed when she “only” has a 94. It’s going to be quite a balancing act between mental health and academic achievement |
Anonymous
For schools that publish merit scholarship tables, the difference between 3.4 and 3.7 can be a lot of money. If you are full pay and he doesn't care where he ends up, then there is no reason not to be happy with a 3.5 |