Southern Colleges for a 4.0 GPA

Southern 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 Southern colleges like University of Florida, The University of Texas at Austin and Florida State University. Based on incoming freshman GPA data for Southern schools, our analysis indicates that 102 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 South Public Private 4 year

102 results

List of 4.0 GPA Colleges

Displaying 102 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 201 target schools (good chance), 21 reach (harder) schools and 1,560 safety (easier) schools you can consider.

Wofford College
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W
Spartanburg, SC

Wofford College

Private 4 Year

8 reviews

3.7 Average GPA

#3 Best Colleges in South Carolina

  • 1,823enrollment
  • $31,192net price
  • 60%acceptance rate
  • 1200-1353SAT range
  • 27-31ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance75%

Applications Due Jan 15

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Salisbury University
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S
Salisbury, MD

Salisbury University

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

3.73 Average GPA

#4 Best Public Universities in Maryland

  • 7,123enrollment
  • $19,756net price
  • 91%acceptance rate
  • 1180-1320SAT range
  • 22-27ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance95%

Applications Due Jan 15

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Xavier University of Louisiana
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X
HBCU
New Orleans, LA

Xavier University of Louisiana

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.7 Average GPA

#1 Best Private Colleges in Louisiana

  • 3,419enrollment
  • $18,080net price
  • 95%acceptance rate
  • 1000-1160SAT range
  • 20-25ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance97%

Applications Due Jul 1

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Angelo State University
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A
San Angelo, TX

Angelo State University

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

3.71 Average GPA

#22 Best Public Universities in Texas

  • 10,599enrollment
  • $12,838net price
  • 79%acceptance rate
  • 910-1140SAT range
  • 17-24ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance88%

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Rhodes College
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R
Memphis, TN

Rhodes College

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

3.99 Average GPA

#3 Best Colleges in Tennessee

  • 2,008enrollment
  • $30,672net price
  • 54%acceptance rate
  • 1310-1470SAT range
  • 28-32ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance55%

Applications Due Jan 15

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Harding University
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H
Searcy, AR

Harding University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

3.71 Average GPA

#4 Best Private Colleges in Arkansas

  • 4,805enrollment
  • $19,558net price
  • 45%acceptance rate
  • 1040-1300SAT range
  • 20-28ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance62%

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University of North Carolina School of the Arts
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N
Winston-Salem, NC

University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

3.75 Average GPA

#3 Best Public Universities in North Carolina

  • 1,104enrollment
  • $11,251net price
  • 32%acceptance rate
  • 1115-1350SAT range
  • 22-30ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance46%

Applications Due Mar 15

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Winthrop University
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W
Rock Hill, SC

Winthrop University

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

4.0 Average GPA

#5 Best Public Universities in South Carolina

  • 4,712enrollment
  • $17,008net price
  • 70%acceptance rate
  • 980-1195SAT range
  • 19-26ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance70%

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Lipscomb University
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L
Nashville, TN

Lipscomb University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

3.73 Average GPA

#5 Best Private Colleges in Tennessee

  • 4,704enrollment
  • $27,937net price
  • 71%acceptance rate
  • 1130-1320SAT range
  • 23-30ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance82%

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Gardner Webb University
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G
Boiling Springs, NC

Gardner Webb University

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

3.74 Average GPA

#9 Best Private Colleges in North Carolina

  • 3,144enrollment
  • $22,339net price
  • 75%acceptance rate
  • 1020-1210SAT range
  • 20-25ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance85%

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Anderson University
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A
Anderson, SC

Anderson University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

3.72 Average GPA

 

  • 4,121enrollment
  • $21,633net price
  • 45%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance61%

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University of Alabama at Birmingham
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A
Birmingham, AL

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

3.82 Average GPA

#1 Best Value Colleges in Alabama

  • 21,639enrollment
  • $16,834net price
  • 87%acceptance rate
  • 1200-1410SAT range
  • 23-30ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance91%

Applications Due Jun 1

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New College of Florida
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N
Sarasota, FL

New College of Florida

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

3.87 Average GPA

 

  • 689enrollment
  • $10,496net price
  • 75%acceptance rate
  • 1103-1360SAT range
  • 24-31ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance80%

Applications Due May 30

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Oglethorpe University
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O
Atlanta, GA

Oglethorpe University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.73 Average GPA

#7 Best Private Colleges in Georgia

  • 1,491enrollment
  • $20,094net price
  • 71%acceptance rate
  • 1065-1305SAT range
  • 22-29ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance82%

Applications Due Jul 15

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Shenandoah University
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S
Winchester, VA

Shenandoah University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.7 Average GPA

#8 Best Private Colleges in Virginia

  • 4,260enrollment
  • $26,143net price
  • 80%acceptance rate
  • 1010-1230SAT range
  • 19-26ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance89%

Applications Due Aug 1

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Texas Lutheran University
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T
Seguin, TX

Texas Lutheran University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.9 Average GPA

#16 Best Private Colleges in Texas

  • 1,369enrollment
  • $21,442net price
  • 92%acceptance rate
  • 1030-1220SAT range
  • 20-27ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance94%

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Texas A & M International University
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T
Laredo, TX

Texas A & M International University

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

3.7 Average GPA

#14 Best Public Universities in Texas

  • 8,505enrollment
  • $5,383net price
  • 48%acceptance rate
  • 910-1110SAT range
  • 16-21ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance65%

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University of Alabama at Huntsville
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A
Huntsville, AL

University of Alabama at Huntsville

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

3.81 Average GPA

#4 Best Public Universities in Alabama

  • 9,237enrollment
  • $18,588net price
  • 78%acceptance rate
  • 1226-1430SAT range
  • 25-30ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance85%

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