Relevance of a 3.71 GPA in college applications

So, I've got a 3.71 GPA. I have been putting heaps of work into maintaining this, but I'm a little unsure. Is this seen as a good GPA when I'm applying for colleges?

The answer to this question really depends on which colleges you're aiming to apply to. In general, a 3.71 GPA is good performance and demonstrates consistent effort on your part. You should be proud of maintaining it!

However, to gauge its competitiveness, we need to consider the particular colleges or universities you're interested in. Some highly selective schools have average GPAs of accepted students that are higher, near the perfect 4.0. But, many very respectable colleges admit plenty of students with GPAs in your range.

Also bear in mind that GPA isn't the only thing that colleges consider. They also look at factors like your course rigor (how challenging your classes were), test scores, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, and college essays.

To help understand your chances better, you should research the average GPA of admitted students at the schools you're interested in. This information can often be found on the school's official admissions webpage.

Lastly, if your GPA is slightly lower than the average for a school you're interested in, remember, averages are just that—averages. They include students with GPAs both lower and higher than the number stated. For schools that you're particularly passionate about but have a higher average GPA, focus on making the other parts of your application as strong as possible. This could be your SAT/ACT scores, building a strong portfolio of extracurriculars, or writing an impactful personal essay.