What are your chances of acceptance?

Your chance of acceptance
Duke University
Duke University
Loading…
 UCLA
UCLA
Loading…
Your chancing factors
Unweighted GPA: 3.7
1.0
4.0
SAT: 720 math
200
800
| 800 verbal
200
800

Extracurriculars

Low accuracy (4 of 18 factors)

Is a 3.6 GPA Good? Colleges that Accept a 3.6 GPA

What’s Covered:

 

While it’s true that GPA is one of the most important factors considered by college admissions officers, it’s a myth that you’re doomed if you don’t have a 4.0. With a 3.6, you’ll be a strong applicant at many colleges, and may even have a shot at some of the most selective schools. This post will present you with a list of colleges where accepted students have an average GPA of 3.6.

 

Not sure what your unweighted GPA is on a 4.0 scale? Use our GPA converter.

 

Is 3.6 a Good GPA? 

 

A 2016 study found that the national average GPA for SAT test takers is a 3.38, which corresponds to about a B+ in terms of letter grades. So, with a 3.6, which is slightly below an A- on the letter grade scale, you’re above the national average, which is a testament to your hard work throughout high school–be proud of yourself!

 

In the context of college applications, whether or not a 3.6 is a good GPA depends on which school is reviewing your application. There are some schools out there that typically want to see an even higher GPA, but remember that admissions officers also know there’s more to an applicant’s story.

 

If you want to see how your GPA stacks up at your dream schools, check out our free Chancing Engine. It will also take your test scores, extracurriculars, and course rigor into account, and let you know how to improve your profile.

 

How Do Colleges Evaluate GPAs?

 

As noted above, the answer to this question will vary from school to school. Many admissions committees actually recalculate applicants’ GPAs using their own method, so that they can give appropriate weight to the factors they feel are most important. 

 

For example, some colleges weight AP or honors classes more heavily, or include only core classes (math, science, history, English, and foreign language), not electives, in their calculation. This first strategy may be one you are familiar with, if your high school gives you a weighted GPA. If you have not heard of weighted GPAs before, and want to know more, you can check out our post on the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA.

 

Finally, it’s important to note that your GPA isn’t the only factor colleges use to evaluate your academic achievements. Your standardized test scores are also considered, so at more competitive schools, a strong SAT or ACT score can help your chances of acceptance. The combination of an applicant’s GPA and test score is often referred to as their Academic Index.

 

Which Colleges Accept a 3.6 GPA?

 

Below is a list of the top colleges that have freshman classes with an average high school GPA of 3.6.

 

It’s worth noting that the schools on this list aren’t the only institutions students with a 3.6 GPA should consider. A number of universities don’t publish accepted students’ average GPAs due to variations in how high schools calculate GPA, so do your research before definitively deciding whether or not to include a school on your list.

 

School Name

Location

Undergrad Enrollment

Acceptance Rate

University of North Alabama

Florence, AL

6,302

90%

Biola University

La Mirada, CA

3,596

61%

Occidental College

Los Angeles, CA

1,992

38%

University of California, Merced | UC Merced

Merced, CA

8,321

87%

Saint Mary’s College of California | St. Mary’s

Moraga, CA

2,003

70%

California Baptist University

Riverside, CA

8,252

64%

University of San Francisco | USF

San Francisco, CA

6,018

71%

University of California, Santa Cruz | UCSC

Santa Cruz, CA

17,084

59%

University of the Pacific

Stockton, CA

3,294

79%

Sacred Heart University | SHU

Fairfield, CT

6,277

66%

Jacksonville University

Jacksonville, FL

2,563

69%

Barry University

Miami Shores, FL

3,332

64%

University of West Florida | UWF

Pensacola, FL

9,280

53%

Savannah College of Art and Design | SCAD

Savannah, GA

12,830

81%

Hawaii Pacific University

Honolulu, HI

4,066

85%

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA

7,048

87%

Aurora University

Aurora, IL

4,158

84%

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, IL

2,838

75%

North Central College

Naperville, IL

2,404

68%

Lewis University

Romeoville, IL

3,933

74%

Marian University (Indiana)

Indianapolis, IN

2,400

76%

Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion

Marion, IN

2,463

93%

Benedictine College

Atchison, KS

2,059

99%

Newman University

Wichita, KS

1,577

83%

University of Kentucky

Lexington, KY

21,900

94%

University of Louisville

Louisville, KY

16,121

74%

Murray State University

Murray, KY

7,939

85%

Tulane University

New Orleans, LA

8,610

10%

Louisiana Tech University | La. Tech

Ruston, LA

10,053

66%

Endicott College

Beverly, MA

3,205

73%

Emmanuel College (Massachusetts)

Boston, MA

1,800

74%

Springfield College

Springfield, MA

2,228

77%

Bethel University (Minnesota)

Arden Hills, MN

2,587

89%

Concordia College (Minnesota)

Moorhead, MN

1,829

72%

University of Northwestern-St. Paul

Roseville, MN

3,289

82%

St. Catherine University

St. Paul, MN

2,593

75%

University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)

St. Paul, MN

5,778

77%

Southwest Baptist University

Bolivar, MO

1,105

97%

Columbia College (Missouri)

Columbia, MO

5,467

Not reported

Rockhurst University

Kansas City, MO

2,545

67%

Maryville University

Town and Country, MO

5,711

92%

Webster University

Webster Groves, MO

2,029

61%

Mississippi State University | MSU

Mississippi State, MS

18,584

76%

University of Mississippi | Ole Miss

University, MS

16,712

90%

University of North Carolina at Charlotte | UNC Charlotte

Charlotte, NC

24,116

80%

North Carolina A&T State University | N.C. A&T

Greensboro, NC

11,328

57%

University of North Carolina at Greensboro | UNC Greensboro

Greensboro, NC

14,198

91%

University of Nebraska–Lincoln | UNL

Lincoln, NE

19,552

81%

University of New Hampshire | UNH

Durham, NH

11,500

87%

Seton Hall University

South Orange, NJ

6,013

77%

Monmouth University

West Long Branch, NJ

4,080

84%

New Mexico State University | NMSU

Las Cruces, NM

11,591

57%

St. Lawrence University

Canton, NY

2,145

57%

Le Moyne College

DeWitt, NY

2,193

73%

State University of New York at New Paltz

New Paltz, NY

6,807

46%

Marist College

Poughkeepsie, NY

5,475

60%

Manhattan College

Riverdale, NY

3,166

75%

Nazareth College

Rochester, NY

1,978

86%

Ohio University

Athens, OH

14,862

89%

Bowling Green State University | BGSU

Bowling Green, OH

14,468

79%

Capital University

Columbus, OH

1,815

74%

Kent State University

Kent, OH

29,295

87%

University of Toledo

Toledo, OH

15,568

97%

Oklahoma State University | OSU

Stillwater, OK

20,197

68%

Oregon State University | OSU

Corvallis, OR

27,562

89%

Moravian University

Bethlehem, PA

1,929

78%

Gannon University

Erie, PA

3,289

84%

University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown

Johnstown, PA

3,000

87%

Bucknell University

Lewisburg, PA

3,724

33%

Robert Morris University | RMU (Pennsylvania)

Moon Township, PA

3,007

94%

University of Scranton

Scranton, PA

3,593

83%

Wilkes University

Wilkes-Barre, PA

2,200

95%

York College of Pennsylvania

York, PA

3,527

78%

University of Rhode Island | URI

Kingston, RI

14,921

76%

Furman University

Greenville, SC

2,304

71%

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Rapid City, SD

2,084

80%

The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

Chattanooga, TN

9,895

86%

Southern Adventist University

Collegedale, TN

2,400

75%

Tennessee Technological University | Tennessee Tech

Cookeville, TN

8,537

79%

The University of Tennessee-Martin

Martin, TN

6,010

75%

Bethel University (Tennessee)

McKenzie, TN

3,400

50%

Middle Tennessee State University | MTSU

Murfreesboro, TN

17,892

68%

West Texas A&M University

Canyon, TX

6,925

97%

St. Mary’s University, Texas

San Antonio, TX

2,093

88%

Southern Utah University

Cedar City, UT

12,080

89%

Utah State University

Logan, UT

24,835

93%

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, UT

25,826

95%

Longwood University

Farmville, VA

3,486

90%

Liberty University

Lynchburg, VA

48,135

30%

Seattle University

Seattle, WA

4,113

82%

University of Puget Sound

Tacoma, WA

1,866

88%

Saint Norbert College

De Pere, WI

1,941

84%

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Eau Claire, WI

8,923

85%

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

La Crosse, WI

9,374

82%

Marquette University

Milwaukee, WI

7,660

86%

Shepherd University

Shepherdstown, WV

2,479

96%

 

How to Improve Your GPA

 

Especially if you are a freshman or sophomore, you may still be hoping to raise your GPA, to give you a better chance of acceptance at more selective colleges. Here are some suggestions of how you can improve your GPA.

 

Seek Academic Help

 

If you have a class or two where you aren’t doing as well as you would like, remember that your teachers are there to help you! You won’t be the first student to ever need extra help, so they’ll likely already have some suggestions ready for you. Sometimes even a seemingly small change to your study habits, like the way you take notes, can go a long way.

 

If your school offers study groups or tutoring, those are also excellent resources to take advantage of. And if not, think about setting up an informal study group with friends, or utilizing some of the many free academic help resources available online, like Khan Academy.

 

Take Easier Classes

 

Very few students go through high school without running into a class or subject that’s especially difficult for them. That doesn’t mean you should panic over one low test score, or shoot for the “easy A.” However, if, for example, math has always been challenging for you and you’re in an honors calculus course, consider switching down a level. That will not only make that class more manageable, but also leave you with more time and energy to dedicate to your other courses.

 

Increase Your Course Load

 

If you have an opening in your schedule, from a free period or an early dismissal for seniors, filling that gap with a class in a subject you enjoy and are successful in can help raise your GPA. You want to be careful not to overextend yourself, especially if you have a busy extracurricular schedule, or the classes you’re already taking are known for being challenging. But if there is a class that appeals to you and won’t limit your ability to take care of your other commitments, think about signing up!

 

What If You Don’t Have Time to Improve Your GPA?

 

Of course, you always want to shoot for the highest grades you can, but unfortunately, if you’re a junior or senior, you just don’t have much time left to substantially raise your GPA. And remember that schools also consider test scores when calculating your Academic Index.

 

So, since there are only so many hours in the day, spending a little extra time studying for the SAT or ACT may be more productive than dedicating that time to your homework, as an especially strong test score can have a big impact on your chances of acceptance.


Short Bio
Adrian is a current senior at Dartmouth College, originally from Seattle, WA. At Dartmouth, she studies philosophy and neuroscience, and has been involved with research in the philosophy department, sexual assault prevention on campus, and mentorship programs for first year students. She spent her junior fall studying abroad at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.