Is it hard to get a 3.8 - 4.0 GPA in college?
I've a 3.80 ~ 3.85 GPA in high school and will be entering college this fall.. I have no intention of doing Honors since it interferes with my study abroad plans, but I do want to graduate with some actual "honor" in the form of a high gpa to boot How hard will it be to get such a good GPA? academic background: will be Computer Science major I took the AP Calc AB test this week and think I got a 5 in it I'm very motivated to travel (my ultimate life goal), which is what motivates me to be a good student like you wouldn't believe I like learning when it gets down to and I get a sense of accomplishment from it, even though it's sometimes hard and frustrating to begin learning something you can't get at first my SAT was 1910, and ACT 29 (not so good, I know..), however I only took it once and didn't study whatsoever..
How can someone get above a 4.0 GPA in college?
Lanani, You've got a couple interesting questions here, and it brings back painful high school memories for me. == How can someone get above a 4.0 GPA in college? As many have answered, some educational institutions allow for higher GPA's through some honors or Advanced Placement classes. For instance, in one of the high schools that I attended, the AP classes were graded on an 5.0 scale. A=5.0, B=4.0 etc. == How does the college decide who's the valedictorian if several students all have a 4.0 GPA? If multiple students have identical 4.0's through their entire college career, then it can pose a bit of a challenge to pick the valedictorian and salutatorian. The method can vary from college to college. They may look at class point averages meaning, for example, if two students had solid A's in English, but one had a 99 average and the other had a 98. Or, they can weigh the difficulty of the classes taken - were some Honors or AP? Some schools may look at scores on entrance exams like the SAT or ACT. Other schools may decide to award co-Valedictorian and co-Salutatorian status to multiple students. There's no set rule or standard (at least that I know of). And my painful high school memory? My freshman year "B" in an AP class in English at a Texas school that worked on a 5.0 scale. It should have come across as a 4.0 when I transferred to Ohio, but instead was listed simply as a "B". My one and only "B" in high school and it cost me a run-off as valedictorian; and instead, I ended up third in my class. Oh well. Life moves on. :-)
How do people obtain a 4.0 GPA in college?
Well yes, for many people, part of it is their inborn talent. But people who get the highest possible GPA in college are also typically the people who prioritize their education above other things. And in all honesty, showing, being actively engaged, taking notes, reading assigned chapters, and asking questions IS a huge part of it. Contrary to popular belief you don't have to get perfect scores on every single thing to get a 4.0 GPA, but you need to get grades in the high 90s on pretty much everything. How to do that? - Show up to ever class, and be there at LEAST on time - Sit where you won't be distracted (usually, in the front) - Limit other distracts: turn off your cell phone, disable games and wifi on your laptop or just take notes in a notebook, that sort of thing - Begin working on assignments, especially big research assignments, well in advance. Turn all assignments in on time. If you are offered the option of writing a draft for the teacher to review, take it, even if writing the draft doesn't directly contribute to your grade. - Don't cram for exams the night before. Study regularly over time. - Get enough sleep. - Do extra-credit assignments. - Make your grade your top priority. That will mean making sacrifices in other areas, like your social life, that you may not otherwise want to make. With professors I'm friendly and respectful. I don't use sites like rate my professors -- I think such sites are a load of crock and don't really help identify what I'm looking for. They seem to be based more on identifying teachers who are easy, while what I want is a teacher who is fair and will actually teach me something (and since no two people are alike, no two people will have identical experiences with the same teacher).
Is it hard to maintain a 4.0 GPA in college?
That depends on where you go, what you take, and your own academic abilities. If your go to a school with low standards, take relatively easy courses, choose a relatively easy major, and/or you're naturally academically talented, it will be much easier to maintain a high GPA than if you attend a tougher school, take harder courses, choose a harder major, and/or are not so academically talented. However, to maintain a high GPA requires a bit of work on your part, regardless of your talents and your school-related choices. It might also require some sacrifices like studying when you would rather go to a party or making sure you take work home with you over school breaks. It also requires things like perfect or near-perfect attendance at and active participation in your classes. Basically, if you want a 4.0 GPA, then school and having a high GPA must very high on your priority list.