California Colleges for a 3.9 GPA

California colleges that accept a 3.9 grade point average

What is a 3.9 GPA?

A 3.9 grade point average is a numerical representation of your course letter grades on a 4.0 scale. Your 3.9 GPA indicates you averaged A- grades in your classes and delivered excellent performance. The percent equivalent of a 3.9 grade point average is 92% on the percentage grading scale. This means that you scored an average of 92% on tests and assignments. GPA values for A- grades range from 3.7 to 3.9. Your 3.9 GPA positions you at the high end of the A- range, demonstrating you have earned almost perfect straight A's. Learn more about what the A- letter grade signifies.

Is a 3.9 GPA good?

A 3.9 is just short of the highest possible unweighted GPA of a 4.0. You've nearly earned straight A's throughout school, with only a few A-'s. Overall a 3.9 indicates consistently high level of academic performance. This near-perfect score positions you as a top candidate for scholarships, honors programs, and very competitive colleges.

What colleges can I get into with a 3.9 GPA?

Graduating with a high school GPA of 3.9 places you within of the academic range at California colleges like Stanford University, University of California Los Angeles and University of Southern California. Based on incoming freshman GPA data for california schools, our analysis indicates that 29 colleges would consider your 3.9 GPA competitive. The most popular colleges, historically accepting students with GPAs within the range of 3.7 to 4.1 (3.9 +/- 0.2), are listed below. To view your chances of admission at each school, scroll down and explore the full list.

3.9 for Harvard and Ivy League

A 3.9 unweighted can definitely get you into Harvard or any Ivy League school. All of these universities have average GPA's in the 3.9 range. However you will need more than a perfect GPA to stand out. These elite colleges take a comprehensive look at at each applicant factoring in SAT, ACT, high school class load, extracurricular activities, volunteer work and essays. Competition is so extreme, even a 3.9 usually doesn't cut it.

Here are the average GPAs and estimated chances for admission with a 3.9 at Ivy League and other prestigious colleges and universities.

Harvard - 4.0 average GPA / 2.4% chance
Princeton - 3.93 average GPA / 5.6% chance
Yale - 3.95 average GPA / 4.5% chance
Penn - 3.95 average GPA / 6.3% chance
Dartmouth - 3.9 average GPA / 6.0% chance
Brown - 3.94 average GPA / 4.6% chance
Cornell - 3.9 average GPA / 7.0% chance
Columbia - 3.91 average GPA / 3.9% chance
Stanford - 3.96 average GPA / 3.5% chance
MIT - 3.96 average GPA / 3.5% chance
Caltech - 3.97 average GPA / 2.6% chance

Summa Cum Laude

The Latin phrase "summa cum laude" means "with highest honors" and is a distinction awarded to class graduates with the highest academic performance. The exact range for summa cum laude varies by college or high school but is generally between a 3.8 and 4.0 GPA. Thus a 3.9 GPA is typically eligible for the summa cum laude distinction.

3.9 GPA honor roll

Many high schools have honor rolls which are published to recognize students with consistently high performance. The qualifications for getting on the honor roll vary from school to school. Frequently, a high and standard honor roll is established with different criteria, sometimes for students above 3.0, 3.5 or 3.75 GPAs. In most cases a 3.9 will get you on the honor roll.

Demographic Statistics

Let's examine how a 3.9 GPA stacks up to the national high school averages across various demographic groups

Gender

Male: A 3.9 is 0.9 points (30%) higher than the average male student GPA of 3.0
Female: A 3.9 is 0.7 points (21%) higher than the average female student GPA of 3.23

Race/ethnicity

White: A 3.9 is 0.7 points (21%) higher than the average white student GPA of 3.23
Black: A 3.9 is 1.1 points (38%) higher than the average black student GPA of 2.83
Hispanic: A 3.9 is 0.9 points (32%) higher than the average Hispanic student GPA of 2.95
Asian/Pacific Islander: A 3.9 is 0.5 points (15%) higher than the average Asian/Pacific Islander student GPA of 3.39

Statistics source: 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) High School Transcript Study (HSTS)

How high can I still increase my 3.9 GPA?

The table below will help you see how high or low you can possibly change your GPA if you currently have a 3.9. As you progress in school it becomes more and more difficult to improve your overall grade point average. Select the tab and table column corresponding to the last semester you completed. Then find a row for your predicted future letter grade average. The result would be your GPA at graduation if you can maintain that letter grade.

Freshmen with a 3.9 after first semester can still possibly raise their GPA as high as a 3.99 or drop it to a 0.49. There is still a lot of time to change your GPA before graduation and it can vary by 3.50 grade points in the future.

Possible grades you can raise your 3.9 GPA to before graduation for freshmen
Future Grades	1st Semester Completed	2nd Semester Completed
A	3.99	3.98
A-	3.73	3.75
B+	3.37	3.45
B	3.11	3.23
B-	2.85	3.00
C+	2.50	2.70
C	2.24	2.48
C-	1.98	2.25
D+	1.62	1.95
D	1.36	1.73
D-	1.10	1.50
F	0.49	0.97

Sophomores with a 3.9 after first semester can still raise their GPA as high as a 3.96 or see it fall to a 1.46. You have some time to change your GPA before graduation and it can vary by 2.50 grade points in the future.

Possible grades you can raise your 3.9 GPA to before graduation for sophomores
Future Grades	1st Semester Completed	2nd Semester Completed
A	3.96	3.95
A-	3.77	3.80
B+	3.52	3.60
B	3.34	3.45
B-	3.15	3.30
C+	2.90	3.10
C	2.71	2.95
C-	2.52	2.80
D+	2.27	2.60
D	2.09	2.45
D-	1.90	2.30
F	1.46	1.95

Juniors with a 3.9 after first semester can still raise their GPA to a 3.94 or lower it to a 2.44. You have limited classes left to change your GPA before graduation and it can vary by 1.50 grade points in the future.

Possible grades you can raise your 3.9 GPA to before graduation for juniors
Future Grades	1st Semester Completed	2nd Semester Completed
A	3.94	3.92
A-	3.83	3.85
B+	3.67	3.75
B	3.56	3.67
B-	3.45	3.60
C+	3.30	3.50
C	3.19	3.42
C-	3.08	3.35
D+	2.92	3.25
D	2.81	3.17
D-	2.70	3.10
F	2.44	2.92

After first semester senior year your GPA is fairly locked in. A 3.9 can be raised a 3.91 or slip to a 3.41. You have very little time to change your GPA before graduation and it can vary by 0.50 grade points at the most.