Mid Atlantic Colleges for a 3.9 GPA

Mid Atlantic colleges that accept a 3.9 grade point average

What is a 3.9 GPA?

A 3.9 grade point average is a numerical representation of your course letter grades on a 4.0 scale. Your 3.9 GPA indicates you averaged A- grades in your classes and delivered excellent performance. The percent equivalent of a 3.9 grade point average is 92% on the percentage grading scale. This means that you scored an average of 92% on tests and assignments. GPA values for A- grades range from 3.7 to 3.9. Your 3.9 GPA positions you at the high end of the A- range, demonstrating you have earned almost perfect straight A's. Learn more about what the A- letter grade signifies.

Is a 3.9 GPA good?

A 3.9 is just short of the highest possible unweighted GPA of a 4.0. You've nearly earned straight A's throughout school, with only a few A-'s. Overall a 3.9 indicates consistently high level of academic performance. This near-perfect score positions you as a top candidate for scholarships, honors programs, and very competitive colleges.

What colleges can I get into with a 3.9 GPA?

Graduating with a high school GPA of 3.9 places you within of the academic range at Mid Atlantic colleges like New York University, Princeton University and University of Pennsylvania. Based on incoming freshman GPA data for Mid Atlantic schools, our analysis indicates that 50 colleges would consider your 3.9 GPA competitive. The most popular colleges, historically accepting students with GPAs within the range of 3.7 to 4.1 (3.9 +/- 0.2), are listed below. To view your chances of admission at each school, scroll down and explore the full list.

3.9 for Harvard and Ivy League

A 3.9 unweighted can definitely get you into Harvard or any Ivy League school. All of these universities have average GPA's in the 3.9 range. However you will need more than a perfect GPA to stand out. These elite colleges take a comprehensive look at at each applicant factoring in SAT, ACT, high school class load, extracurricular activities, volunteer work and essays. Competition is so extreme, even a 3.9 usually doesn't cut it.

Here are the average GPAs and estimated chances for admission with a 3.9 at Ivy League and other prestigious colleges and universities.

Harvard - 4.0 average GPA / 2.4% chance
Princeton - 3.93 average GPA / 5.6% chance
Yale - 3.95 average GPA / 4.5% chance
Penn - 3.95 average GPA / 6.3% chance
Dartmouth - 3.9 average GPA / 6.0% chance
Brown - 3.94 average GPA / 4.6% chance
Cornell - 3.9 average GPA / 7.0% chance
Columbia - 3.91 average GPA / 3.9% chance
Stanford - 3.96 average GPA / 3.5% chance
MIT - 3.96 average GPA / 3.5% chance
Caltech - 3.97 average GPA / 2.6% chance

Summa Cum Laude

The Latin phrase "summa cum laude" means "with highest honors" and is a distinction awarded to class graduates with the highest academic performance. The exact range for summa cum laude varies by college or high school but is generally between a 3.8 and 4.0 GPA. Thus a 3.9 GPA is typically eligible for the summa cum laude distinction.

3.9 GPA honor roll

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 3.9 will get you on the honor roll.

Demographic Statistics

Let's examine how a 3.9 GPA stacks up to the national high school averages across various demographic groups

Gender

Male: A 3.9 is 0.9 points (30%) higher than the average male student GPA of 3.0
Female: A 3.9 is 0.7 points (21%) higher than the average female student GPA of 3.23

Race/ethnicity

White: A 3.9 is 0.7 points (21%) higher than the average white student GPA of 3.23
Black: A 3.9 is 1.1 points (38%) higher than the average black student GPA of 2.83
Hispanic: A 3.9 is 0.9 points (32%) higher than the average Hispanic student GPA of 2.95
Asian/Pacific Islander: A 3.9 is 0.5 points (15%) higher than the average Asian/Pacific Islander student GPA of 3.39

Statistics source: 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) High School Transcript Study (HSTS)

How high can I still increase my 3.9 GPA?

The table below will help you see how high or low you can possibly change your GPA if you currently have a 3.9. 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.

Freshmen with a 3.9 after first semester can still possibly raise their GPA as high as a 3.99 or drop it to a 0.49. There is still a lot of time to change your GPA before graduation and it can vary by 3.50 grade points in the future.

Possible grades you can raise your 3.9 GPA to before graduation for freshmen
Future Grades	1st Semester Completed	2nd Semester Completed
A	3.99	3.98
A-	3.73	3.75
B+	3.37	3.45
B	3.11	3.23
B-	2.85	3.00
C+	2.50	2.70
C	2.24	2.48
C-	1.98	2.25
D+	1.62	1.95
D	1.36	1.73
D-	1.10	1.50
F	0.49	0.97

Sophomores with a 3.9 after first semester can still raise their GPA as high as a 3.96 or see it fall to a 1.46. You have some time to change your GPA before graduation and it can vary by 2.50 grade points in the future.

Possible grades you can raise your 3.9 GPA to before graduation for sophomores
Future Grades	1st Semester Completed	2nd Semester Completed
A	3.96	3.95
A-	3.77	3.80
B+	3.52	3.60
B	3.34	3.45
B-	3.15	3.30
C+	2.90	3.10
C	2.71	2.95
C-	2.52	2.80
D+	2.27	2.60
D	2.09	2.45
D-	1.90	2.30
F	1.46	1.95

Juniors with a 3.9 after first semester can still raise their GPA to a 3.94 or lower it to a 2.44. You have limited classes left to change your GPA before graduation and it can vary by 1.50 grade points in the future.

Possible grades you can raise your 3.9 GPA to before graduation for juniors
Future Grades	1st Semester Completed	2nd Semester Completed
A	3.94	3.92
A-	3.83	3.85
B+	3.67	3.75
B	3.56	3.67
B-	3.45	3.60
C+	3.30	3.50
C	3.19	3.42
C-	3.08	3.35
D+	2.92	3.25
D	2.81	3.17
D-	2.70	3.10
F	2.44	2.92

After first semester senior year your GPA is fairly locked in. A 3.9 can be raised a 3.91 or slip to a 3.41. You have very little time to change your GPA before graduation and it can vary by 0.50 grade points at the most.

Possible grades you can raise your 3.9 GPA to before graduation for seniors
Future Grades	1st Semester Completed	2nd Semester Completed
A	3.91	3.90
A-	3.88	3.90
B+	3.83	3.90
B	3.79	3.90
B-	3.75	3.90
C+	3.70	3.90
C	3.66	3.90
C-	3.62	3.90
D+	3.58	3.90
D	3.54	3.90
D-	3.50	3.90
F	3.41	3.90

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GPA 3.9 Mid Atlantic Public Private 4 year

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List of 3.9 GPA Colleges

Displaying 50 colleges where your 3.9 GPA is within the typical range of past accepted students. You have a chance at being accepted but admission may be challenging at more selective colleges. Filter by admission chance for 114 target schools (good chance), 36 reach (harder) schools and 636 safety (easier) schools you can consider.

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Troy, NY

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Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

3.88 Average GPA

#12 Best Private Colleges in New York

6,968enrollment
$39,127net price
65%acceptance rate
1360-1520SAT range
30-34ACT range

Your 3.9 GPA

Admission Chance66%

Applications Due Jan 15

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Hempstead, NY

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Hofstra University

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

3.74 Average GPA

#25 Best Private Colleges in New York

10,238enrollment
$35,036net price
69%acceptance rate
1190-1370SAT range
26-31ACT range

Your 3.9 GPA

Admission Chance76%

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Rochester, NY

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Rochester Institute of Technology

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

3.7 Average GPA

#22 Best Private Colleges in New York

16,615enrollment
$39,600net price
67%acceptance rate
1270-1450SAT range
29-33ACT range

Your 3.9 GPA

Admission Chance76%

Applications Due Jan 15

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Saratoga Springs, NY

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Skidmore College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

3.75 Estimated Average GPA

#8 Best Private Colleges in New York

2,758enrollment
$33,389net price
26%acceptance rate
1300-1460SAT range
30-33ACT range

Your 3.9 GPA

Admission Chance33%

Applications Due Jan 15

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Newark, NJ

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New Jersey Institute of Technology

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

3.72 Average GPA

#3 Best Public Universities in New Jersey

12,332enrollment
$17,762net price
66%acceptance rate
1190-1450SAT range
27-33ACT range

Your 3.9 GPA

Admission Chance75%

Applications Due Mar 1

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Haverford, PA

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Haverford College

Private 4 Year

7 reviews

3.9 Estimated Average GPA

#1 Best Value in Pennsylvania

1,421enrollment
$23,476net price
14%acceptance rate
1430-1540SAT range
33-35ACT range

Your 3.9 GPA

Admission Chance14%

Applications Due Jan 15

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New York, NY

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CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

3.7 Average GPA

#4 Best Public Universities in New York

19,854enrollment
$4,991net price
50%acceptance rate
1170-1360SAT range
26-30ACT range

Your 3.9 GPA

Admission Chance62%

Applications Due Feb 1

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Pittsburgh, PA

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Duquesne University

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

3.8 Average GPA

#16 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania

8,107enrollment
$33,919net price
87%acceptance rate
1160-1330SAT range
25-31ACT range

Your 3.9 GPA

Admission Chance89%

Applications Due Aug 15

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West Point, New York

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United States Military Academy

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

4.0 Average GPA

4,393enrollment
-net price
12%acceptance rate
1220-1450SAT range
27-33ACT range

Your 3.9 GPA

Admission Chance10%

Applications Due Jan 31

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Brooklyn, NY

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Pratt Institute Main

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

3.86 Average GPA

#23 Best Private Colleges in New York

5,494enrollment
$47,326net price
50%acceptance rate
1160-1430SAT range
26-31ACT range

Your 3.9 GPA

Admission Chance52%

Applications Due Jan 5

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Clinton, NY

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Hamilton College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

3.87 Estimated Average GPA

#3 Best Value Colleges in New York

2,072enrollment
$24,503net price
12%acceptance rate
1420-1540SAT range
33-34ACT range

Your 3.9 GPA

Admission Chance13%

Applications Due Jan 5

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Hoboken, NJ

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