What is an exceptional GPA?
Mia Lopez
Updated on February 19, 2026
Most commonly, students graduate cum laude (Latin for "with praise") when they earn a 3.5-3.7 GPA, magna cum laude ("with great praise") when they earn a 3.7-3.9 GPA, and summa cum laude ("with highest praise") when they earn a 3.9 GPA or higher.
What is an exceptional GPA in high school?
"I encourage people to go for a 3.0 (GPA) or higher," Campbell says, which is equivalent to a B average. Experts say a 4.0 GPA, which is an A letter grade average, can be difficult to maintain throughout college.What is considered a strong GPA?
The average high school GPA for college-bound students is likely higher than a 3.0. Typically a 3.5-4.0 GPA, which means an A- or A average, is expected for admission to top colleges. However, you may be able to gain acceptance to a less selective school with a GPA that's as low as a 2.0 or C- average.Is 3.5 GPA excellent or very good?
Usually, a GPA of 3.0 - 3.5 is considered good enough at many high schools, colleges, and universities. Top academic institutions usually require GPAs higher than 3.5.Is 3.7 A good GPA in college?
Like high school, a good college GPA is generally 3.7 or above, and ideally higher in your major classes. Graduate schools in particular tend to weight GPAs more heavily than test scores.What is a GPA?
Is a 4.6 GPA good?
At most high schools, this means that the highest GPA you can get is a 5.0. A 4.5 GPA indicates that you're in very good shape for college. You're most likely in high level classes earning As and high Bs. 99.74% of schools have an average GPA below a 4.5.Is a 3.55 GPA good in college?
A 3.5 unweighted GPA means that you've earned an A- average across all of your classes. You're well above the national average for GPA and should have a solid chance of acceptance at a wide variety of colleges.Is 3.9 A good GPA?
Considering the highest possible GPA is 4.0, it's pretty easy to unequivocally say yes, a 3.9 is a great GPA. The average high school student graduates with a 3.0, so your achievement is well-above average and qualifies for you for acceptance into even the most competitive institutions.Is a 3.8 GPA good?
Is a 3.8 GPA in high school considered good? The average GPA of graduating high schoolers is 3.0, making 3.8 a definitively good GPA. It gives you a reasonable chance of acceptance at even competitive institutions, so reach as high as you can!Is a 3.65 GPA good in college?
A 3.6 GPA will give you a good chance of acceptance at many selective schools, so you'll have a wide range of choices in the college admissions process. If you have any colleges in mind currently, you can check your chances of admission at any schools that interest you with our search tool in the next section.What GPA is required for Harvard?
In truth, you need close to a 4.0 unweighted GPA to get into Harvard. That means nearly straight As in every class.What is the average GPA for Harvard?
The average GPA at Harvard is 4.18. (Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA. With a GPA of 4.18, Harvard requires you to be at the top of your class. You'll need nearly straight A's in all your classes to compete with other applicants.What is a good GPA for PHD?
With GPA, it is recommended that students have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA and around a 3.5 discipline-specific GPA to remain competitive for Ph. D.How do you get a 6.0 GPA?
Take Harder ClassesAt some schools, honors classes and advanced placement courses would be figured on a 6.0 GPA format. Those schools often allow students to opt out of courses such as music and art, replacing them with the IB or AP classes.
Is a 4.18 GPA good?
A 4.2 indicates that you are earning Bs and B+s in high level classes or As and A+s in mid level classes. This is a very good GPA, and it should give you a strong chance of admission at most colleges. 99.36% of schools have an average GPA below a 4.2. You can apply to colleges and have a good shot at getting admitted.Is 4.3 weighted GPA good?
Is a 4.3 GPA good? This GPA is above a 4.0, which means it's weighted (it takes into account the difficulty of your classes in conjunction with your grades). This is a very good GPA.Is a 3.76 weighted GPA good?
A 3.7 GPA is a very good GPA, especially if your school uses an unweighted scale. This means that you've been earning mostly A-s in all of your classes. If you've been taking high level classes and earning a 3.7 unweighted GPA, you're in great shape and can expect to be accepted to many selective colleges.Is a 3.8 GPA good on a 5.0 scale?
19 ÷ 5 = 3.8A 3.8 GPA is very good! See how the 5.0 scale for the Honors and AP classes increased the GPA to an “A-” range, even though you earned 3 “B” grades?