Southern Colleges for a 4.0 GPA

Southern 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 Southern colleges like University of Florida, The University of Texas at Austin and Florida State University. Based on incoming freshman GPA data for Southern schools, our analysis indicates that 102 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)

View Colleges

Change GPA

Explore colleges for other GPAs

-1 +1
GPA 4.0 South Public Private 4 year

102 results

List of 4.0 GPA Colleges

Displaying 102 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 201 target schools (good chance), 21 reach (harder) schools and 1,560 safety (easier) schools you can consider.

University of Central Arkansas
Connect Me
C
Conway, AR

University of Central Arkansas

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

3.7 Average GPA

#3 Best Public Universities in Arkansas

  • 9,913enrollment
  • $15,456net price
  • 91%acceptance rate
  • 940-1130SAT range
  • 19-25ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance95%

Compare Calculate my chances 
Washington College
Connect Me
W
Chestertown, MD

Washington College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.71 Average GPA

 

  • 955enrollment
  • $31,650net price
  • 75%acceptance rate
  • 1190-1390SAT range
  • 25-29ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance86%

Applications Due Feb 15

Compare Calculate my chances 
Lubbock Christian University
Connect Me
L
Lubbock, TX

Lubbock Christian University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

3.71 Average GPA

#17 Best Private Colleges in Texas

  • 1,596enrollment
  • $23,551net price
  • 82%acceptance rate
  • 940-1190SAT range
  • 19-24ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance90%

Applications Due Jun 1

Compare Calculate my chances 
Eastern Mennonite University
Connect Me
E
Harrisonburg, VA

Eastern Mennonite University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.7 Average GPA

#3 Best Private Colleges in Virginia

  • 1,334enrollment
  • $23,783net price
  • 99%acceptance rate
  • 1040-1590SAT range
  • 25-34ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance99%

Compare Calculate my chances 
Ouachita Baptist University
Connect Me
O
Arkadelphia, AR

Ouachita Baptist University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.72 Average GPA

#3 Best Value Colleges in Arkansas

  • 1,784enrollment
  • $21,677net price
  • 72%acceptance rate
  • 1020-1200SAT range
  • 21-28ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance83%

Compare Calculate my chances 
John Brown University
Connect Me
J
Siloam Springs, AR

John Brown University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.77 Average GPA

#1 Best Value in Arkansas

  • 2,326enrollment
  • $20,997net price
  • 57%acceptance rate
  • 1100-1390SAT range
  • 22-29ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance69%

Compare Calculate my chances 
Spalding University
Connect Me
S
Louisville, KY

Spalding University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.87 Average GPA

#5 Best Private Colleges in Kentucky

  • 1,532enrollment
  • $26,539net price
  • 98%acceptance rate
  • 858-1105SAT range
  • 16-22ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance99%

Compare Calculate my chances 
Freed Hardeman University
Connect Me
F
Henderson, TN
 

Freed Hardeman University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.75 Average GPA

#17 Best Private Colleges in Tennessee

  • 2,330enrollment
  • $18,556net price
  • 91%acceptance rate
  • 1040-1240SAT range
  • 19-26ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance95%

Compare Calculate my chances 
Southern Wesleyan University
Connect Me
S
Central, SC
 

Southern Wesleyan University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

4.0 Average GPA

#7 Best Private Colleges in South Carolina

  • 1,175enrollment
  • $17,639net price
  • 51%acceptance rate
  • 1013-1160SAT range
  • 19-23ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance51%

Compare Calculate my chances 
St John's College
Connect Me
S
Santa Fe, NM

St John's College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

3.74 Average GPA

 

  • 439enrollment
  • $29,265net price
  • 54%acceptance rate
  • 1250-1460SAT range
  • 28-32ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance68%

Compare Calculate my chances 
O'More College of Design
Connect Me
O
Franklin, TN

O'More College of Design

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.78 Average GPA

 

  • 157enrollment
  • $26,987net price
  • 31%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • 18-22ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance43%

Applications Due Jul 31

Compare Calculate my chances 
Patrick Henry College
Connect Me
P
Purcellville, Virginia
 

Patrick Henry College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.83 Average GPA

 

  • 409enrollment
  • $26,095net price
  • 76%acceptance rate
  • 1233-1440SAT range
  • 27-31ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance83%

Applications Due Jul 15

Compare Calculate my chances