Timothy Peck June 20, 2023 6 Applying to College,Grades and GPA

Is a 3.5 GPA Good? Colleges that Accept a 3.5 GPA

What’s Covered:

• ‌Is a 3.5 GPA Good?
• How Do Colleges Evaluate GPAs?
• Which Colleges Accept a 3.5 GPA?
• How to Improve Your GPA

Your grades are one of the primary factors used by colleges to make admissions decisions. While most students would love to adorn their applications with a 4.0, the fact is that the majority of college-bound students leave high school with a less-than-perfect GPA. Fortunately, a 3.5 GPA will make you a strong candidate at many colleges, including some highly selective schools. Keep reading to learn what colleges accept students with a 3.5 GPA.

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

Is a 3.5 GPA Good?

According to a 2016 study, the average GPA for SAT test takers is 3.38. This makes a 3.5 a strong GPA and puts you ahead of the curve—students with a 3.5 GPA likely earned a mix of A-s and B+s in high school. That said, what constitutes a good GPA is subjective and depends on the school evaluating it. For example, a 3.5 GPA will presumably gain the attention of the colleges listed below, but the most selective schools will generally want to see an even higher GPA.

It’s important to remember that while GPA is an important metric in college admissions, it’s just one aspect considered by admissions offices. Colleges use a variety of factors to assess applicants, including test scores, extracurricular activities, and essays, along with grades.

CollegeVine can help you see how your GPA stacks up to the schools on your college list. Our free chancing engine uses data points that colleges employ to evaluate applicants—like grades, test scores, and extracurriculars—to estimate your odds of admission at over 1,600 colleges and universities in the U.S. It can even highlight areas where you can improve both your profile and your chances of getting into your dream school.

How Do Colleges Evaluate GPAs?

Although the method colleges use to evaluate GPA can vary from institution to institution, there are some common practices. For example, highly selective schools that receive an abundance of applications often use a tool known as Academic Index to screen out applicants they deem unqualified.

Academic Index is the summation of a student’s total academic performance into a single numerical score. Academic Index is calculated primarily using two components: a student’s transcript (GPA and/or class rank) and their standardized test scores. Because Academic Index is used to filter out applicants, if you fail to meet an institution’s threshold score, there’s a strong chance that your application will not receive serious consideration.

Many colleges will also weigh GPAs to reflect not only an applicant’s academic performance but also the rigor of the coursework. For example, a student earning an A in a challenging course (like AP, IB, or honors) is awarded a 5.0, while a student earning an A in a traditional class is awarded a 4.0. Colleges typically place more value on weighted GPAs than they do on unweighted GPAs since they better reflect an applicant’s preparedness for college-level coursework.

Which Colleges Accept a 3.5 GPA?

Below is a list of the top colleges with freshman classes that have an average high school GPA of 3.5. The schools listed below are just some of the schools that students should consider. A number of colleges and universities don’t publish their average GPA due to variations in how high schools calculate GPA, making it essential to thoroughly research schools when building your college list.

How to Improve Your GPA

A 3.5 GPA is good, but an even higher GPA can further expand the number of colleges available to you and improve your odds at more selective institutions. Some proven strategies for increasing your GPA include:

Pursue Rigorous Coursework

Adding challenging coursework—like AP, IB, and honors classes—to your schedule is a proven strategy for boosting your GPA. Because most colleges use weighted GPAs when making admissions decisions, you can provide a pick me up to an underwhelming GPA by adding some higher-valued classes to your course load.

Keep in mind, rigorous classes are normally more demanding and may require a greater time commitment. Before signing up for an honors class, think about your other obligations and responsibilities, and make sure you have enough time to devote to the course. Also, consider how you expect to perform; it’s advised that you don’t take harder coursework unless you think you’re able to earn a B or above.

Increase Your Course Load

Rather than adding higher-valued courses, another strategy for improving a less-than-impressive GPA is to simply add more classes to your schedule. Many high schoolers have study and free periods they can fill with another class. This method gives you extra opportunities to add good grades to your transcript and reduce the damage done by any poor marks you’ve earned in the past.

Since the goal is to improve your GPA, think about adding a class in a subject in which you’re interested and have had prior success. Also, make sure you have the bandwidth to add another course, ensuring you can handle the extra work and it won’t negatively affect your performance in other classes.

Ask For Help

There are resources available to students hoping to improve their grades. Many teachers have hours when they’re available for extra help, like during lunch or after school. If your teachers don’t hold help sessions, you always can ask them if they’re available to provide extra assistance.

In addition to asking your teacher for help, many schools offer some form of tutoring or host study groups. If none of those options are available, you can always form your own study group or reach out to a friend or classmate for extra help in a class you’re struggling in.

The internet is another great resource for struggling students. There is seemingly an online tutorial for everything. For example, Khan Academy offers online classes in everything from algebra to biology to U.S. history. When looking for academic support online, make sure your source is credible. You don’t want to confuse yourself with incorrect information.

Earn High Test Scores

While those early in their high school careers—freshmen and sophomores—have time to pull their GPAs up, it’s more difficult for those further along to improve their GPAs. For these students, the best thing they can do for their college admissions odds is to earn high scores on their standardized tests.

Because many colleges and universities use Academic Index to help make admissions decisions, high test scores can boost a mediocre GPA and make you more interesting to admissions offices.