New England Colleges for a 4.0 GPA

New England colleges that accept a 4.0 grade point average

What is a 4.0 GPA?

A 4.0 grade point average is a numerical representation of your course letter grades on a 4.0 scale. Your 4.0 GPA indicates you averaged A/A+ grades in your classes and delivered perfect performance. The percent equivalent of a 4.0 grade point average is 93-100% on the percentage grading scale. This means that you scored an average of 93-100% on tests and assignments. At most high schools and colleges, an A or A+ are both worth 4.0 grade points. A student with a 4.0 may have a mix of A+'s or A's. Any grade below an A, including an A-, will result in not achieving a 4.0. Learn more about what the A/A+ letter grade signifies.

Is a 4.0 GPA good?

A 4.0 is the highest possible GPA on the unweighted 4.0 scale and is far above the national high school average of 3.0. It indicates you've achieved straight A's throughout your high school career. Earning a 4.0 demonstrates exceptional academic performance an mastery of all of the classes you've taken. This outstanding achievement reflects a strong work ethic, dedication, and mastery of the subject matter. A 4.0 puts you in an excellent position for acceptance at the most selective colleges in the U.S including the Ivy League. A 4.0 GPA is also highly beneficial towards you chances in receiving a merit based scholarship.

What colleges can I get into with a 4.0 GPA?

Graduating with a high school GPA of 4.0 places you within of the academic range at New England colleges like Harvard University, Boston University and Yale University. Based on incoming freshman GPA data for New England schools, our analysis indicates that 31 colleges would consider your 4.0 GPA competitive. The most popular colleges, historically accepting students with GPAs within the range of 3.8 to 4.2 (4.0 +/- 0.2), are listed below. To view your chances of admission at each school, scroll down and explore the full list.

What is a perfect 4.0 GPA?

A 4.0 is considered "perfect" as it can only be earned if you earn all A's or A+'s in every class you take. If you get any A-'s or lower grades your GPA will drop below a 4.0 and can never be recovered to a 4.0. You cannot have a 4.0 with any B grades. This is true for the unweighted 4.0 grade scale. If using a weighted scale, it's possible to get a B+ in an AP class and still have a 4.0.

4.0 for Harvard and Ivy League

A 4.0 unweighted can definitely get you into Harvard or any Ivy League school. 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 intense that even a 4.0 usually doesn't cut it.

Here are the average GPAs and estimated chances for admission with a 4.0 at Ivy League and other prestigious colleges and universities.

  • Harvard - 4.0 average GPA / 3.0% chance
  • Princeton - 3.93 average GPA / 7.0% chance
  • Yale - 3.95 average GPA / 5.6% chance
  • Penn - 3.95 average GPA / 7.8% chance
  • Dartmouth - 3.9 average GPA / 7.5% chance
  • Brown - 3.94 average GPA / 5.7% chance
  • Cornell - 3.9 average GPA / 8.7% chance
  • Columbia - 3.91 average GPA / 4.9% chance
  • Stanford - 3.96 average GPA / 4.4% chance
  • MIT - 3.96 average GPA / 4.4% chance
  • Caltech - 3.97 average GPA / 3.2% 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 4.0 GPA is typically eligible for the summa cum laude distinction.

Demographic Statistics

Let's examine how a 4.0 GPA stacks up to the national high school averages across various demographic groups

Gender

  • Male: A 4.0 is 1 points (33%) higher than the average male student GPA of 3.0
  • Female: A 4.0 is 0.8 points (24%) higher than the average female student GPA of 3.23

Race/ethnicity

  • White: A 4.0 is 0.8 points (24%) higher than the average white student GPA of 3.23
  • Black: A 4.0 is 1.2 points (41%) higher than the average black student GPA of 2.83
  • Hispanic: A 4.0 is 1 points (36%) higher than the average Hispanic student GPA of 2.95
  • Asian/Pacific Islander: A 4.0 is 0.6 points (18%) 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)

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GPA 4.0 New England Public Private 4 year

31 results

List of 4.0 GPA Colleges

Displaying 31 colleges where your 4.0 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 51 target schools (good chance), 39 reach (harder) schools and 318 safety (easier) schools you can consider.

Williams College
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W
Williamstown, MA

Williams College

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

3.94 Estimated Average GPA

#13 Best Colleges in America

  • 2,222enrollment
  • $20,965net price
  • 8%acceptance rate
  • 1480-1570SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance9%

Applications Due Jan 10

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Colby College
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C
Waterville, ME

Colby College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

3.86 Estimated Average GPA

#11 Best Value Colleges in America

  • 2,299enrollment
  • $16,951net price
  • 8%acceptance rate
  • 1430-1540SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance11%

Applications Due Jan 1

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Wellesley College
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Wellesley, MA

Wellesley College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

3.86 Estimated Average GPA

#17 Best Colleges in America

  • 2,447enrollment
  • $21,362net price
  • 14%acceptance rate
  • 1430-1550SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance18%

Applications Due Jan 8

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Middlebury College
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M
Middlebury, VT

Middlebury College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.89 Estimated Average GPA

#23 Best Value Colleges in America

  • 2,843enrollment
  • $22,181net price
  • 13%acceptance rate
  • 1425-1540SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance16%

Applications Due Jan 1

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Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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W
Worcester, MA

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.9 Average GPA

 

  • 7,308enrollment
  • $46,876net price
  • 57%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance63%

Applications Due Feb 15

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Trinity College
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T
Hartford, CT

Trinity College

Private 4 Year

6 reviews

3.8 Estimated Average GPA

#3 Best Colleges in Connecticut

  • 2,205enrollment
  • $32,704net price
  • 36%acceptance rate
  • 1300-1470SAT range
  • 30-32ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance47%

Applications Due Jan 17

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Simmons University
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S
Boston, MA

Simmons University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.87 Average GPA

#13 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 5,710enrollment
  • $24,423net price
  • 76%acceptance rate
  • 1200-1390SAT range
  • 28-32ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance81%

Applications Due Feb 1

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Smith College
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S
Northampton, MA

Smith College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

4.0 Average GPA

#8 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 2,873enrollment
  • $30,790net price
  • 23%acceptance rate
  • 1370-1520SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance23%

Applications Due Jan 15

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Olin College of Engineering
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O
Needham, MA

Olin College of Engineering

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

3.9 Average GPA

 

  • 386enrollment
  • $38,502net price
  • 19%acceptance rate
  • 1490-1560SAT range
  • 35-35ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance23%

Applications Due Jan 1

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Mount Holyoke College
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M
South Hadley, MA

Mount Holyoke College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.87 Average GPA

#10 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 2,392enrollment
  • $35,765net price
  • 40%acceptance rate
  • 1350-1540SAT range
  • 30-34ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance48%

Applications Due Jan 15

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United States Coast Guard Academy
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C
New London, Connecticut

United States Coast Guard Academy

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

3.79 Average GPA

 

  • 1,037enrollment
  • -net price
  • 24%acceptance rate
  • 1160-1365SAT range
  • 26-31ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance34%

Applications Due Jan 15

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Connecticut College
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C
New London, CT

Connecticut College

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

3.7 Average GPA

#4 Best Private Colleges in Connecticut

  • 1,948enrollment
  • $43,220net price
  • 40%acceptance rate
  • 1360-1490SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance57%

Applications Due Jan 1

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Holy Apostles College and Seminary
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H
Cromwell, CT
 

Holy Apostles College and Seminary

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.79 Average GPA

 

  • 719enrollment
  • $13,418net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA

Applications Due Jul 22

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