Where does a GPA of 3.69 put me in college admissions?

Hi everyone! I was going through my transcript and found that my GPA is a 3.69. I wanted to know where that puts me in terms of college admissions, given that my other stats and extracurriculars are pretty average. What kinds of schools should I be targeting?

Hi there! A GPA of 3.69 is generally considered to be a decent score, and depending on other factors such as rigor of courses, it could position you competitively for many colleges. However, keep in mind that the admissions process also considers other factors, such as test scores, essays, and extracurriculars. It's important to have a balanced application.

When looking at schools to target, it's helpful to classify them into three categories: reach, target, and likely (safety).

- Reach schools are ones where your GPA falls below the 25th percentile of admitted students—these schools will be more challenging to gain admission to, but they're still worth applying if you're interested in them.

- Target schools are ones where your GPA falls within the median range (25th-75th percentile) of admitted students, meaning you have a reasonable chance of being admitted.

- Lastly, likely schools are where your GPA is above the 75th percentile, making it more probable that you'll be admitted.

To choose suitable schools, you should research colleges with average admitted student GPAs in the range of 3.4 to 3.9. This will give you a mix of reach, target, and safety schools. Look into each school's academic offerings, campus environment, location, and any other factors that are important to you. You can utilize resources like CollegeVine or the Common Data Set reports for each college to find information about their admitted student stats and other factors.

It's crucial to have a good mix of reach, target, and safety schools so that you have multiple options available to you upon admissions decisions. Additionally, continue to focus on your academics, extra-curriculars, and prepare strong essays to boost your application as a whole. Good luck in your college search and application process!