Southeastern Colleges for a 4.0 GPA

Southeastern 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 Southeastern colleges like University of Florida, Florida State University and Clemson University. Based on incoming freshman GPA data for Southeastern schools, our analysis indicates that 86 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 / 4.7% chance
  • Yale - 3.95 average GPA / 5.6% chance
  • Penn - 3.95 average GPA / 6.7% chance
  • Dartmouth - 3.9 average GPA / 7.5% chance
  • Brown - 3.94 average GPA / 5.7% chance
  • Cornell - 3.9 average GPA / 9.9% chance
  • Columbia - 3.91 average GPA / 4.9% chance
  • Stanford - 3.96 average GPA / 4.4% chance
  • MIT - 3.96 average GPA / 5.5% 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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86 results

List of 4.0 GPA Colleges

Displaying 86 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 171 target schools (good chance), 18 reach (harder) schools and 1,200 safety (easier) schools you can consider.

University of Delaware
D
Newark, DE

University of Delaware

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

3.94 Average GPA

#1 Best Value in Delaware

  • 24,221enrollment
  • $17,716net price
  • 65%acceptance rate
  • 1200-1360SAT range
  • 27-31ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance68%

Applications Due Jan 15

Florida Atlantic University
F
Boca Raton, FL

Florida Atlantic University

Public 4 Year

4 reviews

3.74 Average GPA

#7 Best Public Universities in Florida

  • 30,790enrollment
  • $9,839net price
  • 73%acceptance rate
  • 1040-1210SAT range
  • 20-26ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance83%

Applications Due May 1

Florida Gulf Coast University
F
Fort Myers, FL

Florida Gulf Coast University

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

4.0 Average GPA

#9 Best Public Universities in Florida

  • 16,167enrollment
  • $10,548net price
  • 77%acceptance rate
  • 1040-1210SAT range
  • 20-25ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance77%

Applications Due Nov 1

College of William and Mary
W
Williamsburg, VA

College of William and Mary

Public 4 Year

4 reviews

3.85 Estimated Average GPA

#6 Best Public Universities in America

  • 9,762enrollment
  • $20,422net price
  • 33%acceptance rate
  • 1365-1510SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance41%

Applications Due Jan 2

Spelman College
S
HBCU
Atlanta, GA

Spelman College

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

3.75 Average GPA

#3 Best Private Colleges in Georgia

  • 3,633enrollment
  • $37,403net price
  • 34%acceptance rate
  • 1060-1270SAT range
  • 21-27ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance48%

Applications Due Feb 1

Coastal Carolina University
C
Conway, SC

Coastal Carolina University

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

3.72 Average GPA

#6 Best Public Universities in South Carolina

  • 10,829enrollment
  • $14,453net price
  • 80%acceptance rate
  • 1050-1210SAT range
  • 20-26ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance89%

College of Charleston
C
Charleston, SC

College of Charleston

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

3.94 Average GPA

#4 Best Public Universities in South Carolina

  • 11,729enrollment
  • $20,806net price
  • 72%acceptance rate
  • 1130-1300SAT range
  • 24-29ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance75%

Applications Due Jan 15

Florida International University
F
Miami, FL

Florida International University

Public 4 Year

7 reviews

4.0 Average GPA

#6 Best Public Universities in Florida

  • 53,953enrollment
  • $10,742net price
  • 59%acceptance rate
  • 1060-1250SAT range
  • 20-26ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance59%

Applications Due Apr 1

Mercer University
M
Macon, GA

Mercer University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

3.98 Average GPA

#3 Best Value Colleges in Georgia

  • 9,124enrollment
  • $24,197net price
  • 66%acceptance rate
  • 1180-1350SAT range
  • 25-31ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance67%

Applications Due Jul 1

Davidson College
D
Davidson, NC

Davidson College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

3.81 Average GPA

#2 Best Colleges in North Carolina

  • 1,904enrollment
  • $26,510net price
  • 14%acceptance rate
  • 1360-1510SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance20%

Applications Due Jan 7

Nova Southeastern University
N
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Nova Southeastern University

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

3.99 Average GPA

#9 Best Private Colleges in Florida

  • 20,877enrollment
  • $32,756net price
  • 73%acceptance rate
  • 1050-1310SAT range
  • 21-28ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance73%

Virginia Commonwealth University
V
Richmond, VA

Virginia Commonwealth University

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

3.75 Average GPA

#10 Best Public Universities in Virginia

  • 28,238enrollment
  • $22,852net price
  • 93%acceptance rate
  • 1030-1270SAT range
  • 22-30ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance96%

Applications Due Jan 18

University of North Florida
N
Jacksonville, FL

University of North Florida

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

3.89 Average GPA

#5 Best Public Universities in Florida

  • 16,453enrollment
  • $10,628net price
  • 62%acceptance rate
  • 990-1210SAT range
  • 20-26ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance68%

Belmont University
B
Nashville, TN

Belmont University

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

3.83 Average GPA

#6 Best Private Colleges in Tennessee

  • 8,862enrollment
  • $37,558net price
  • 96%acceptance rate
  • 1160-1350SAT range
  • 23-30ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance97%

Applications Due Jul 1

University of Richmond
R
University of Richmond, VA

University of Richmond

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

3.71 Average GPA

#2 Best Colleges in Virginia

  • 3,776enrollment
  • $35,263net price
  • 23%acceptance rate
  • 1410-1530SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance37%

Applications Due Jan 1

Christopher Newport University
C
Newport News, VA

Christopher Newport University

Public 4 Year

4 reviews

3.79 Average GPA

#8 Best Public Universities in Virginia

  • 4,503enrollment
  • $22,864net price
  • 88%acceptance rate
  • 1100-1300SAT range
  • 23-29ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance92%

Applications Due Feb 1

University of Arkansas
A
Fayetteville, AR

University of Arkansas

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

3.74 Average GPA

#1 Best Public Universities in Arkansas

  • 32,140enrollment
  • $17,475net price
  • 72%acceptance rate
  • 1050-1220SAT range
  • 21-28ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance83%

Applications Due Aug 1

Louisiana State University
L
Baton Rouge, LA

Louisiana State University

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

3.77 Average GPA

#1 Best Public Universities in Louisiana

  • 39,418enrollment
  • $21,808net price
  • 74%acceptance rate
  • 1150-1330SAT range
  • 24-29ACT range
Your 4.0 GPA
Admission Chance83%

Applications Due Jul 15