Colleges for a 4.0 GPA

colleges that accept a 4.0 grade point average

What is a 4.0 GPA?

A 4.0 grade point average is a numerical representation of your course letter grades on a 4.0 scale. Your 4.0 GPA indicates you averaged A/A+ grades in your classes and delivered perfect performance. The percent equivalent of a 4.0 grade point average is 93-100% on the percentage grading scale. This means that you scored an average of 93-100% on tests and assignments. At most high schools and colleges, an A or A+ are both worth 4.0 grade points. A student with a 4.0 may have a mix of A+'s or A's. Any grade below an A, including an A-, will result in not achieving a 4.0. Learn more about what the A/A+ letter grade signifies.

Is a 4.0 GPA good?

A 4.0 is the highest possible GPA on the unweighted 4.0 scale and is far above the national high school average of 3.0. It indicates you've achieved straight A's throughout your high school career. Earning a 4.0 demonstrates exceptional academic performance an mastery of all of the classes you've taken. This outstanding achievement reflects a strong work ethic, dedication, and mastery of the subject matter. A 4.0 puts you in an excellent position for acceptance at the most selective colleges in the U.S including the Ivy League. A 4.0 GPA is also highly beneficial towards you chances in receiving a merit based scholarship.

What colleges can I get into with a 4.0 GPA?

Graduating with a high school GPA of 4.0 places you within of the academic range at colleges like Harvard University, Stanford University and University of Florida. Based on incoming freshman GPA data for U.S. schools, our analysis indicates that 294 colleges would consider your 4.0 GPA competitive. The most popular colleges, historically accepting students with GPAs within the range of 3.8 to 4.2 (4.0 +/- 0.2), are listed below. To view your chances of admission at each school, scroll down and explore the full list.

What is a perfect 4.0 GPA?

A 4.0 is considered "perfect" as it can only be earned if you earn all A's or A+'s in every class you take. If you get any A-'s or lower grades your GPA will drop below a 4.0 and can never be recovered to a 4.0. You cannot have a 4.0 with any B grades. This is true for the unweighted 4.0 grade scale. If using a weighted scale, it's possible to get a B+ in an AP class and still have a 4.0.

4.0 for Harvard and Ivy League

A 4.0 unweighted can definitely get you into Harvard or any Ivy League school. 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 intense that even a 4.0 usually doesn't cut it.

Here are the average GPAs and estimated chances for admission with a 4.0 at Ivy League and other prestigious colleges and universities.

  • Harvard - 4.0 average GPA / 3.0% chance
  • Princeton - 3.93 average GPA / 7.0% chance
  • Yale - 3.95 average GPA / 5.6% chance
  • Penn - 3.95 average GPA / 7.8% chance
  • Dartmouth - 3.9 average GPA / 7.5% chance
  • Brown - 3.94 average GPA / 5.7% chance
  • Cornell - 3.9 average GPA / 8.7% chance
  • Columbia - 3.91 average GPA / 4.9% chance
  • Stanford - 3.96 average GPA / 4.4% chance
  • MIT - 3.96 average GPA / 4.4% chance
  • Caltech - 3.97 average GPA / 3.2% 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 4.0 GPA is typically eligible for the summa cum laude distinction.

Demographic Statistics

Let's examine how a 4.0 GPA stacks up to the national high school averages across various demographic groups

Gender

  • Male: A 4.0 is 1 points (33%) higher than the average male student GPA of 3.0
  • Female: A 4.0 is 0.8 points (24%) higher than the average female student GPA of 3.23

Race/ethnicity

  • White: A 4.0 is 0.8 points (24%) higher than the average white student GPA of 3.23
  • Black: A 4.0 is 1.2 points (41%) higher than the average black student GPA of 2.83
  • Hispanic: A 4.0 is 1 points (36%) higher than the average Hispanic student GPA of 2.95
  • Asian/Pacific Islander: A 4.0 is 0.6 points (18%) 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)

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GPA 4.0 Public Private 4 year

294 results nationwide

List of 4.0 GPA Colleges

Displaying 294 colleges where your 4.0 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 525 target schools (good chance), 138 reach (harder) schools and 4,500 safety (easier) schools you can consider.

Harvard University
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H
Cambridge, MA

Harvard University

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

4.0 Average GPA

#4 Best Colleges in America

  • 30,631enrollment
  • $19,491net price
  • 3%acceptance rate
  • 1490-1580SAT range
  • 34-36ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance3%

Applications Due Jan 1

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Stanford University
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S
Stanford, CA

Stanford University

Private 4 Year

6 reviews

3.96 Average GPA

#2 Best Colleges in America

  • 18,283enrollment
  • $18,279net price
  • 4%acceptance rate
  • 1500-1580SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance4%

Applications Due Jan 2

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University of Florida
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F
Gainesville, FL

University of Florida

Public 4 Year

6 reviews

3.9 Average GPA

#7 Best Public Universities in America

  • 55,211enrollment
  • $11,740net price
  • 23%acceptance rate
  • 1300-1490SAT range
  • 28-33ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance27%

Applications Due Mar 1

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The University of Texas at Austin
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T
Austin, TX

The University of Texas at Austin

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

3.8 Estimated Average GPA

#14 Best Public Universities in America

  • 52,384enrollment
  • $17,434net price
  • 31%acceptance rate
  • 1230-1500SAT range
  • 26-33ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance42%

Applications Due Dec 1

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University of Michigan
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M
Ann Arbor, MI

University of Michigan

Public 4 Year

5 reviews

3.88 Average GPA

#1 Best Public Universities in America

  • 51,225enrollment
  • $19,318net price
  • 18%acceptance rate
  • 1350-1530SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance23%

Applications Due Feb 1

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University of California Los Angeles
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C
Los Angeles, CA

University of California Los Angeles

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

3.92 Average GPA

#2 Best Public Universities in America

  • 46,430enrollment
  • $16,999net price
  • 9%acceptance rate
  • 1300-1530SAT range
  • 29-35ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance11%

Applications Due Nov 30

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Florida State University
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F
Tallahassee, FL

Florida State University

Public 4 Year

6 reviews

3.7 Estimated Average GPA

#3 Best Colleges in Florida

  • 44,161enrollment
  • $14,003net price
  • 25%acceptance rate
  • 1210-1370SAT range
  • 26-31ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance40%

Applications Due Mar 1

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Clemson University
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C
Clemson, SC

Clemson University

Public 4 Year

9 reviews

3.75 Estimated Average GPA

#1 Best Public Universities in South Carolina

  • 28,466enrollment
  • $24,577net price
  • 43%acceptance rate
  • 1220-1410SAT range
  • 28-32ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance58%

Applications Due May 1

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University of Southern California
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S
Los Angeles, CA

University of Southern California

Private 4 Year

5 reviews

3.83 Average GPA

#5 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 48,945enrollment
  • $36,808net price
  • 12%acceptance rate
  • 1450-1550SAT range
  • 32-35ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance17%

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University of Miami
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M
Coral Gables, FL

University of Miami

Private 4 Year

14 reviews

3.7 Average GPA

#1 Best Private Colleges in Florida

  • 19,402enrollment
  • $36,467net price
  • 19%acceptance rate
  • 1310-1480SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance32%

Applications Due Jan 1

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University of Georgia
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G
Athens, GA

University of Georgia

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

4.0 Average GPA

#3 Best Colleges in Georgia

  • 40,607enrollment
  • $17,180net price
  • 43%acceptance rate
  • 1220-1420SAT range
  • 27-32ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance43%

Applications Due Jan 1

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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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N
Chapel Hill, NC

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

3.83 Estimated Average GPA

#16 Best Value Colleges in America

  • 31,705enrollment
  • $10,614net price
  • 17%acceptance rate
  • 1350-1530SAT range
  • 30-34ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance23%

Applications Due Jan 15

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Virginia Tech
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V
Blacksburg, VA

Virginia Tech

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

3.97 Average GPA

#3 Best Public Universities in Virginia

  • 38,170enrollment
  • $19,301net price
  • 57%acceptance rate
  • 1240-1430SAT range
  • 27-32ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance59%

Applications Due Jan 15

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New York University
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N
New York, NY

New York University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

3.79 Average GPA

#6 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 59,144enrollment
  • $29,499net price
  • 12%acceptance rate
  • 1470-1570SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance18%

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Duke University
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D
Durham, NC

Duke University

Private 4 Year

6 reviews

3.94 Estimated Average GPA

#3 Best Colleges in America

  • 18,023enrollment
  • $23,694net price
  • 6%acceptance rate
  • 1490-1570SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance7%

Applications Due Jan 3

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Vanderbilt University
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V
Nashville, TN

Vanderbilt University

Private 4 Year

5 reviews

3.89 Average GPA

#14 Best Colleges in America

  • 13,710enrollment
  • $25,606net price
  • 7%acceptance rate
  • 1490-1570SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance9%

Applications Due Jan 1

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Princeton University
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P
Princeton, NJ

Princeton University

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

3.93 Average GPA

#1 Best Colleges in America

  • 8,842enrollment
  • $18,698net price
  • 6%acceptance rate
  • 1490-1580SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance7%

Applications Due Jan 1

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Michigan State University
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S
East Lansing, MI

Michigan State University

Public 4 Year

6 reviews

3.72 Average GPA

#3 Best Colleges in Michigan

  • 50,023enrollment
  • $22,803net price
  • 88%acceptance rate
  • 1160-1360SAT range
  • 25-31ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance93%

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