If you currently have a 3.6 and are researching what this means to your academic future, this page has resources which will cover the following.
A 3.6 beats the the average U.S. high school GPA of 3.1 by 0.5 points. You've earned mostly A's with some B's, showcasing consistently above-average academic performance. It indicates a strong understanding of the course material and good study habits. There are a many state and private colleges where a 3.6 is within the typical GPA range of accepted students. While a 3.6 is a bit low for highly selective colleges, it offers you a strong chance to get into many of the more selective schools in the U.S.
A 3.6 grade point average is a numerical representation of your course letter grades on a 4.0 scale. Your 3.6 GPA indicates you averaged B+ grades in your classes and delivered above average performance. The percent equivalent of a 3.6 grade point average is 89% on the percentage grading scale. This means that you scored an average of 89% on tests and assignments. GPA values for B+ letter grades range from 3.3 to 3.6. Your 3.6 GPA positions you at the high end of the B+ range, demonstrating you have likely earned a mix of A's (4.0) and B's (3.0). Learn more about what the B+ letter grade signifies.
With a 3.6, you would usually need to rely on athletics, minority ethnicity, socioeconomic hardship or legacy status to have a chance getting into elite universities like Harvard and the Ivy League. A 3.6 is far below the average GPA that these schools usually accept. However, all of these elite colleges do admit a few students with 3.6's every year.
Here are the average GPAs and estimated chances for admission with a 3.6 at Ivy League and other prestigious colleges and universities.
Cum laude or "with distinction" is a Latin Honor awarded to graduates with high academic performance. The precise range for cum laude designation varies by school but is generally between a 3.5 and 3.6 GPA. As a result, a graduate with a 3.6 GPA typically qualifies for cum laude honors at graduation.
Many high schools have honor rolls which are published to recognize students with consistently high performance. The qualifications for getting on the honor roll vary from school to school. Frequently, a high and standard honor roll is established with different criteria, sometimes for students above 3.0, 3.5 or 3.75 GPAs. In most cases a 3.6 will get you on the honor roll.
The table below will help you see how high or low you can possibly change your GPA if you currently have a 3.6. As you progress in school it becomes more and more difficult to improve your overall grade point average. Select the tab and table column corresponding to the last semester you completed. Then find a row for your predicted future letter grade average. The result would be your GPA at graduation if you can maintain that letter grade.
By examining the average high school GPA for students who were admitted to 1,368 selective four-year colleges, we can see how a 3.6 compares when applying to college. As you can see, a 3.6 is higher than the average accepted GPA for three quarters of the colleges in the U.S.
Here are 713 selective four year colleges where the average high school grades for incoming freshman is in the 3.6 range (+/- 0.2). You have a competitive chance getting into all of these schools with a 3.6. Some popular colleges are...
There are 152 reach colleges where you can possibly get in with a 3.6 GPA. Acceptance may be more difficult because your grades are a bit lower than their average or competition for acceptance is high.
Additionally, you should keep in mind these 878 safety schools where their average GPA is either lower . You are likely to get into these colleges so they are a good backup plan.
Conversion table of the unweighted 4.0 grade point scale with letter grade and percentage equivalents. This unweighted GPA scale is used my most U.S. high schools and colleges.
| GPA | Grade | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | A/A+ | 93-100 |
| 3.9 | A- | 92 |
| 3.8 | A- | 91 |
| 3.7 | A- | 90 |
| 3.6 | B+ | 89 |
| 3.5 | B+ | 88 |
| 3.4 | B+ | 87 |
| 3.3 | B+ | 87 |
| 3.2 | B | 86 |
| 3.1 | B | 85 |