Your GPA or Grade Point Average is significant. It can greatly affect your future, especially if you are aiming high. Before entering college, your GPA is one of the qualifications whether you will be accepted or not. It is so much more when you are in college. It determines your scholarship, internship, and future career.
So, how to get above a 4.0 GPA in college? Is a GPA of 4 good? Is it attainable? What are the ways to achieve the GPA of 4.0? You may have these questions in mind. In this article, you may find the answer you need, and it may serve as your guide as you reach college.
What Does a GPA of 4.0 Look Like in College?
What Does a GPA of 4.0 Look Like in College?Before looking at the 4.0 GPA calculator and computing your GPA, let us first describe what a GPA is. GPA, or the Grade Point Average, is your overall course grades, which are then divided by the total units or credits. Hence, it is a reflection of how well you performed in school. For example, if your GPA is high, like 4.0, equivalent to a letter grade of A+ and a numerical grade of 97-100, it means you performed well l in class.
However, different universities may also use various GPA scales. The most commonly used by universities is the unweighted GPA – the average grade you earned without considering if it is a major subject in the course. On the other hand, some universities value the weighted GPA – it is an additional point for advanced courses and honors. It means the more advanced placement or AP classes you have, the higher your GPA you may get.
To give you a clearer picture of does a GPA of 4.0 look like in college, here is a standard unweighted GPA scale:
| Letter Grade | Percent Grade | 4.0 Scale |
| A+ | 97-100 | 4.0 |
| A | 93-96 | 4.0 |
| A- | 90-92 | 3.7 |
| B+ | 87-89 | 3.3 |
| B | 83-86 | 3.0 |
| B- | 80-82 | 2.7 |
| C+ | 77-79 | 2.3 |
The table shows that the highest GPA you can get is 4.0, with an equivalent letter grade of A+ and a percent grade of 97-100. A GPA of 4.0 is considered above average. That’s why there is no wonder why a GPA of 4.0 in college is considered an ambitious dream by a student.
How Rare is a 4.0 GPA in College?
Based on the above information, the highest GPA is 4.0. However, how rare is a 4.0 GPA in college? It is very uncommon. It is not easy to get a GPA of 4.0. It is because you must attain mostly perfect scores in all your subjects. It is hard to achieve this grueling feat. However, it does not mean that no one achieves it. Those who got a GPA of 4.0 has entered well-recognized universities like Harvard University, Brown University, and Cornell University, according to prepscholar.com.
How Hard is it to Get a 4.0 GPA in College?
It is not easy to get a GPA of 4.0 in college. Getting a 4.0 GPA means all your subjects should also have a grade of 4.0. A GPA of 4.0 is almost perfect. That also means you must have perfect scores or at least one to two mistakes in all your outputs to attain this GPA. According to the Harvard Crimson 2022 survey, only 16% of the respondents from Harvard University claimed they had a close-to-perfect GPA – it means that their GPA was rounded to 4.0, though it was higher, unlike the 12% in 2021 and 9% in 2020. In Princeton University 2022 survey, only 1.7% of the Princeton University respondents had achieved a perfect GPA.
It is exhausting as each subject will require various assessment tasks that you need to accomplish. However, just because it is challenging does not mean no one achieves it because some students maintain a GPA of 4.0. At Michigan University, it was reported that 52 students graduated with a GPA of 4.0 last December 2022. Last April 2023, they had 206 students who graduated with a GPA of 4.0.
5 Practical Tips on How to Get a 4.0 in College
If it is your goal to attain a GPA of 4.0, it may be difficult, but it is not impossible. Below are some tips you can use:
Plan ahead of time.
Most of the successful people in the world are those who begin with an end in mind. That’s why planning is significant in achieving certain goals and objectives. First, you need to know what you truly want. It must be clear in your mind that getting a GPA of 4.0 is what you want. It should be your driving force. It may be your reason for getting up and showing up to the world daily. Once this is clear to you, you may begin with your strategies.
Create study habits.
How do you like to study? Which part of the study do you think you are most effective and productive in studying? Do you perform rituals before and after the study? These questions should be asked so that you will know what to do next. Study habit varies from one person to another. You are efficient if you study in the morning, while others prefer to do it at night. Do you want to study music or television? Or do you want to study in a silent place? Would you love to eat while studying? Discovering what works best for you when you study would be best. Once you do, you will find it easier and more effective. Thus, you may have higher chances of getting good grades.
Take advantage of the technology.
Instead of spending so much time looking at your social media account like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, why not use them helpfully? For example, you can look for Facebook groups of your class and join them. In this manner, you will be updated with the latest announcement. You may also learn from your other classmates who are group members. It is good if your professors are members too. Your professors might announce their requirements and give you tips on how to do them. You can follow the instructions and meet your professor’s standards. You can also use this to ask questions so that you will be guided.
Discipline and consistency are the keys!
It may sound basic, but you cannot achieve a GPA of 4.0 if you are not disciplined and consistent in your performance.
You must show up to every lecture. Do not be absent or late. See that you listen to your professor’s lecture discussion to understand the lessons well. For example, attending your math class will help you easily understand how the professor applies the formula. It would be helpful to read in advance, particularly when you know the upcoming topics.
You must take down notes, or if you are allowed, you can take a picture of your professor’s presentation. It will guide you on what you should focus on when you study.
Be careful with your everyday habit. It includes maintaining healthy eating, sleeping, and exercise habit. See that those habits will bring you closer to your ambition of getting a GPA of 4.0. Of course! Balance is important as you cannot just devote your time to studying only. It would help if you also nurtured your mental and emotional health by doing activities that make you happy.
Choose your friends.
If you want to have a GPA of 4.0, you must be with people with the same ambition as yours. If you are with friends who don’t care about their GPA, then most probably, you will lose track and eventually become like them.
If you are with friends with the same goal as yours, you will be motivated to do even better each day. You may support and uplift each other, especially during challenging times. That’s why as early as the start of the class, identify your circle and choose carefully.
Wrapping Things Up: How to Get Above a 4.0 GPA in College?
There are still ways to get above a 4.0 GPA in college, though it is challenging. You must completely understand how the GPA works and how it can affect your future. After that, you will set a clear goal in mind when you plan for your strategies to attain the above GPA of 4.0. Do not forget to have that discipline and consistency of making habits that will make you get closer to your dreams. Lastly, carefully choose your circle. If other students have made it, you too can!
