Pacific Northwestern Colleges for a 4.0 GPA

Pacific Northwestern 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 Pacific Northwestern colleges like University of Washington Seattle Campus, University of Oregon and Reed College. Based on incoming freshman GPA data for Pacific Northwestern schools, our analysis indicates that 10 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 Pacific Northwest Public Private 4 year

10 results

List of 4.0 GPA Colleges

Displaying 10 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 12 target schools (good chance), 0 reach (harder) schools and 165 safety (easier) schools you can consider.

University of Washington Seattle Campus
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W
Seattle, WA

University of Washington Seattle Campus

Public 4 Year

6 reviews

3.82 Average GPA

#8 Best Public Universities in America

  • 52,319enrollment
  • $10,603net price
  • 48%acceptance rate
  • 1200-1453SAT range
  • 27-33ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance58%

Applications Due Nov 16

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University of Oregon
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O
Eugene, OR

University of Oregon

Public 4 Year

4 reviews

3.73 Average GPA

#1 Best Public Universities in Oregon

  • 23,163enrollment
  • $22,077net price
  • 86%acceptance rate
  • 1140-1370SAT range
  • 24-30ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance92%

Applications Due Jan 15

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Reed College
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R
Portland, OR

Reed College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

4.0 Average GPA

#1 Best Value in Oregon

  • 1,534enrollment
  • $33,106net price
  • 31%acceptance rate
  • 1320-1500SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance31%

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Lewis & Clark College
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L
Portland, OR

Lewis & Clark College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

3.95 Average GPA

#3 Best Colleges in Oregon

  • 3,595enrollment
  • $35,832net price
  • 69%acceptance rate
  • 1260-1400SAT range
  • 29-32ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance71%

Applications Due Jan 15

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Willamette University
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W
Salem, OR

Willamette University

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

3.97 Average GPA

 

  • 1,909enrollment
  • $32,957net price
  • 81%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance82%

Applications Due Jan 15

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Pacific University
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P
Forest Grove, OR

Pacific University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.73 Average GPA

#5 Best Private Colleges in Oregon

  • 3,559enrollment
  • $33,472net price
  • 92%acceptance rate
  • 1010-1350SAT range
  • 20-26ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance96%

Applications Due Aug 25

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Pacific Lutheran University
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P
Tacoma, WA

Pacific Lutheran University

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

3.71 Average GPA

#2 Best Value Colleges in Washington

  • 2,633enrollment
  • $24,825net price
  • 89%acceptance rate
  • 1253-1423SAT range
  • 27-30ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance94%

Applications Due Aug 15

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George Fox University
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G
Newberg, OR

George Fox University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.7 Average GPA

#6 Best Private Colleges in Oregon

  • 4,028enrollment
  • $28,840net price
  • 92%acceptance rate
  • 1020-1290SAT range
  • 22-28ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance96%

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Whitworth University
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W
Spokane, WA

Whitworth University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.72 Average GPA

#6 Best Private Colleges in Washington

  • 2,415enrollment
  • $28,299net price
  • 91%acceptance rate
  • 1110-1350SAT range
  • 19-27ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance95%

Applications Due Mar 1

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Linfield University
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L
McMinnville, OR

Linfield University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.71 Average GPA

#4 Best Private Colleges in Oregon

  • 1,754enrollment
  • $31,585net price
  • 89%acceptance rate
  • 1050-1210SAT range
  • 20-27ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance94%

Applications Due Feb 1

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