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What grades do colleges look at?

What sort of grades and/or GPA do colleges look for?

  • I'm a sophomore and I get mostly A's, some B's. (My school however has a 7 point grading system. If it was a 10 point system, I believe I would have all A's) I take a lot of Honors & 1 AP class (I plan on taking a lot of APs as a Junior & Senior). I'm just wondering what sort of grades (like, how many B's are acceptable?), what GPA (& how to calculate it), and what kinds of extra curriculars you need to be involved in. I play a sport, have gotten over 70 services learning hours so far (my school only requires 50 to graduate), and am trying to get more involved in the community & such. Also, I'm curious as to how much my parents' income would affect my chances of getting financial aid, etc. We're middle class and do pretty well, but I don't want to be too dependent on my parents to help me. Sorry that this is more like a thousand questions in one. Thanks in advance.

  • Answer:

    There is no set amount of B's that are acceptable, but obviously the more A's you have, the better. A GPA above 3.3 will give you a solid selection of schools across the nation, but will give you difficulty in some of the highest ranked schools. A GPA above 3.8 will open up almost any school to you, as long as you have a good SAT or ACT score as well. As far as how to calculate your GPA, unfortunately this varies from college to college. Some will consider a B+ and a B to be the same grade. Some will give you extra points for an honors class, and some will only give you extra points for AP classes. In general, though, you can figure out what your GPA approximately is by turning every A into a 4, and every B into a 3, and then adding all of your points together. Then, divide by the amount of classes you took. This number will be your GPA. For AP classes, every A is a 5, and every B is a 4, so that is where the bonus comes in. Playing a sport, having service hours, and being involved in other extracurriculars is a good idea. But more important than the amount of things you've done is the quality of things you do. You may have a big resume if you are in 10 clubs, but universities prefer that you focus on only a few and have something to show for it. Try to get involved in programs that you truly personally care about, rather than just joining organizations because you think it will be good for college. Finally, while your parents' income is a factor in financial aid, it is not the only element. Scholastic achievement and potential are also considered, and you may be able to find a number of grants and scholarships. These types of aid come in many forms. Sometimes you can get a scholarships simply because you're left-handed and write an essay about it. Check with your high school's college center and see if they maintain a bank of available scholarships and application forms. It's never too early to start applying, and you may end up with thousands of dollars in free money when you enroll. It sounds like you have a great start. Congratulations on all of your achievements so far. Keep working hard, earning those A's, and shooting for AP classes and you'll have a terrific shot at almost any college you want. Good luck!

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it all depends on the school your grades seem hight to get into a good college and to get finical aid your parents income has to be avarge. If your are working too that could make a lot of difference.

kwjreh o

Depends on the type of college. A state university, you could probably get a scholarship. State schools often require a 3.0 GPA. For a competitive school, which I assume you are trying to get into, It sounds like you'll be fine.

Brans

This very much depends on where you want to go to school. If you had MIT in mind, you have probably blown it already with several Bs. At many schools, you can get in with a GPA over 3.5, or even over 3.0. It is only once you get below a B average that it becomes difficult to do anything other than a community college. More important than extracurriculars will be your SAT or ACT scores, along with your grades and the rigor of your program (the honors and AP classes will help a lot). The extracurriculars do help, but only if the academics are already acceptable. You could probably use one or two more extracurriculars, but don't go crazy with these, especially if they take away from your study time. With regard to your parents' income and financial aid, every student who wants financial aid is expected to fill out what is called a FAFSA form. It includes a lot of information about your parents' financial status, other siblings who might be nearing college age or in college, etc. On the basis of that form, each school will make a determination of what they think you and your parents should be able to contribute to your own education, and then will offer you a package consisting of things like work-study, loans, etc. to make up the difference. If you were low-income, you would probably also be eligible for grants, which don't have to be paid back. Basically, the school shouldn't have to cover you just because you don't want to burden your parents, but you do have a choice to some degree. If you take out more loans, you would be the one paying them back, and not your parents. You can always, of course, come to some kind of agreement to let your parents pay up front for the portions they are asked for, and to let you pay them back from jobs you may get during school.

neniaf

Well, obviously, the higher the grades the better, but you and I both know that that is not the answer you are looking for. Well, each school has some kind of standards. If you are failing, you most likely are not getting into Harvard, but you never know. :) It sounds like you have good grades, but improvement looks good to colleges too. Try removing all Bs from your Junior & Senior year report cards. It will definitely be a challenge, but you can do it! Community sevice hours are very good and extra curricular activities are very good. Pick some that you really love. Find something that you are passionate about and do it. When you talk about that in an interview, you enthusiasm will shine through. Check out scholarships and stuff. Your guidance counselor probably has lists of possibilities. And don't forget that essay. Good Luck!

Katie

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