Colleges for a 3.5 GPA

What colleges will likely accept a 3.5 grade point average?

Is a 3.5 good?

Yes, a 3.5 is well above the the average U.S. high school GPA of 3.0 and demonstrates that you are a serious A level student, well prepared for many top colleges and universities. There are many large four-year colleges to choose from where a 3.5 is well within the typical GPA range of accepted students and you will find yourself a strong applicant. While a 3.5 is low for highly selective colleges, it offers you a chance at many of the more selective schools in the U.S.

What is a 3.5 GPA?

A 3.5 is equal to a 90% on the standard U.S. high school unweighted 4.0 scale. The letter grade equivalent of a 3.5 is a B+ average.

What colleges can I get into?

Graduating with a high school GPA of 3.5 places you within of the academic range at these colleges. CollegeSimply has analyzed the incoming freshman grade point averages for a large portion of U.S. schools and selected 936 colleges where students have a competitive chance of getting in with a 3.5. Here are some of the top ranked colleges which have historically accepted students in the 3.5 range plus or minus .3 points. Scroll down further to explore, search, sort and filter the full list.

Best ranked colleges for a 3.5 GPA
CollegeAverage GPA
Johns Hopkins University3.74
Vanderbilt University3.76
Emory University3.8
Colgate University3.64
University of Southern California3.73
New York University3.6
Trinity College3.8
Vassar College3.8
Carnegie Mellon University3.69
Skidmore College3.75
Santa Clara University3.66
University of Rochester3.8
Yeshiva University3.51
Lafayette College3.46
Loyola Marymount University3.72
GPA 3.5 Public Private 4 year

936 results found

List of 3.5 GPA Colleges

Displaying 936 colleges where your 3.5 GPA is within the typical range of past accepted students. You have a chance at being accepted but admission may be challenging at more selective colleges. Hint: Filter by admission chance for 1,820 target schools (good chance), 204 reach (harder) schools and 1,144 safety (easier) schools you can consider.

The University of Texas at Austin
T
Austin, TX
The University of Texas at Austin

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

3.8 Average GPA (estimated)

#13 Best Public Universities in America

  • 51,832enrollment
  • $14,356net price
  • 39%acceptance rate
  • 1230-1480SAT range
  • 27-33ACT range
Your 3.5 GPA
Admission Chance24%
Compare Calculate my chances 
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University of Southern California
S
Los Angeles, CA
University of Southern California

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

3.73 Average GPA

#5 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 47,310enrollment
  • $32,892net price
  • 13%acceptance rate
  • 1350-1530SAT range
  • 30-34ACT range
Your 3.5 GPA
Admission Chance8%
Compare Calculate my chances 
Arizona State University
A
Tempe, AZ
Arizona State University

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

3.42 Average GPA

#2 Best Colleges in Arizona

  • 51,585enrollment
  • $12,947net price
  • 85%acceptance rate
  • 1130-1360SAT range
  • 22-29ACT range
Your 3.5 GPA
Admission Chance87%
Compare Calculate my chances 
Penn State Main Campus
P
University Park, PA
Penn State Main Campus

Public 4 Year

9 reviews

3.59 Average GPA

#1 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania

  • 46,810enrollment
  • $25,346net price
  • 56%acceptance rate
  • 1160-1360SAT range
  • 25-30ACT range
Your 3.5 GPA
Admission Chance51%
Compare Calculate my chances 
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New York University
Yes, connect me!
N
New York, NY
New York University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

3.6 Average GPA

#6 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 51,847enrollment
  • $36,256net price
  • 20%acceptance rate
  • 1310-1510SAT range
  • 29-34ACT range
Your 3.5 GPA
Admission Chance17%
Compare Calculate my chances 
Vanderbilt University
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V
Nashville, TN
Vanderbilt University

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

3.76 Average GPA

#14 Best Colleges in America

  • 12,824enrollment
  • $23,295net price
  • 10%acceptance rate
  • 1450-1560SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
Your 3.5 GPA
Admission Chance6%
Compare Calculate my chances 
Michigan State University
Yes, connect me!
S
East Lansing, MI
Michigan State University

Public 4 Year

4 reviews

3.62 Average GPA

#2 Best Colleges in Michigan

  • 50,351enrollment
  • $16,684net price
  • 78%acceptance rate
  • 1110-1310SAT range
  • 23-29ACT range
Your 3.5 GPA
Admission Chance73%
Compare Calculate my chances 
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Johns Hopkins University
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J
Baltimore, MD
Johns Hopkins University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

3.74 Average GPA

#12 Best Colleges in America

  • 26,152enrollment
  • $29,066net price
  • 11%acceptance rate
  • 1450-1560SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
Your 3.5 GPA
Admission Chance7%
Compare Calculate my chances 
The University of Alabama
A
Tuscaloosa, AL
The University of Alabama

Public 4 Year

7 reviews

3.6 Average GPA

#3 Best Colleges in Alabama

  • 38,390enrollment
  • $19,993net price
  • 59%acceptance rate
  • 1060-1280SAT range
  • 23-31ACT range
Your 3.5 GPA
Admission Chance53%
Compare Calculate my chances 
San Diego State University
S
San Diego, CA
San Diego State University

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

3.6 Average GPA

#10 Best Public Universities in California

  • 35,303enrollment
  • $13,363net price
  • 35%acceptance rate
  • 1110-1310SAT range
  • 22-28ACT range
Your 3.5 GPA
Admission Chance30%
Compare Calculate my chances 
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Boston University
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B
Boston, MA
Boston University

Private 4 Year

6 reviews

3.59 Average GPA

#8 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 34,657enrollment
  • $33,728net price
  • 22%acceptance rate
  • 1330-1500SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
Your 3.5 GPA
Admission Chance19%
Compare Calculate my chances 
Auburn University
A
Auburn University, AL
Auburn University

Public 4 Year

7 reviews

3.74 Average GPA

#1 Best Public Universities in Alabama

  • 30,440enrollment
  • $22,613net price
  • 75%acceptance rate
  • 1150-1310SAT range
  • 25-30ACT range
Your 3.5 GPA
Admission Chance63%
Compare Calculate my chances 
Ohio State University
Yes, connect me!
O
Columbus, OH
Ohio State University

Public 4 Year

4 reviews

3.76 Average GPA (estimated)

#1 Best Public Universities in Ohio

  • 61,170enrollment
  • $18,042net price
  • 52%acceptance rate
  • 1240-1450SAT range
  • 27-32ACT range
Your 3.5 GPA
Admission Chance37%
Compare Calculate my chances 
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Baylor University
B
Waco, TX
Baylor University

Private 4 Year

7 reviews

3.74 Average GPA (estimated)

#5 Best Private Colleges in Texas

  • 17,217enrollment
  • $37,745net price
  • 39%acceptance rate
  • 1190-1370SAT range
  • 26-31ACT range
Your 3.5 GPA
Admission Chance27%
Compare Calculate my chances 
University of Washington Seattle Campus
W
Seattle, WA
University of Washington Seattle Campus

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

3.75 Average GPA

#7 Best Public Universities in America

  • 47,400enrollment
  • $9,443net price
  • 49%acceptance rate
  • 1220-1460SAT range
  • 27-32ACT range
Your 3.5 GPA
Admission Chance35%
Compare Calculate my chances 
University of Kentucky
K
Lexington, KY
University of Kentucky

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

3.46 Average GPA

#2 Best Public Universities in Kentucky

  • 29,182enrollment
  • $19,361net price
  • 94%acceptance rate
  • 1080-1300SAT range
  • 23-29ACT range
Your 3.5 GPA
Admission Chance95%
Compare Calculate my chances 
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Purdue University Main Campus
P
West Lafayette, IN
Purdue University Main Campus

Public 4 Year

4 reviews

3.7 Average GPA

#14 Best Public Universities in America

  • 44,474enrollment
  • $12,117net price
  • 58%acceptance rate
  • 1180-1410SAT range
  • 25-32ACT range
Your 3.5 GPA
Admission Chance46%
Compare Calculate my chances 
Texas A & M University College Station
T
College Station, TX
Texas A & M University College Station

Public 4 Year

5 reviews

3.68 Average GPA (estimated)

#2 Best Public Universities in Texas

  • 68,679enrollment
  • $19,554net price
  • 68%acceptance rate
  • 1170-1380SAT range
  • 25-31ACT range
Your 3.5 GPA
Admission Chance58%
Compare Calculate my chances