The 3.5 GPA

College Admissions

It seems like everyone everywhere is always talking about how you need a perfect standardized test score and a GPA over 4.0 in order to go to college. So what happens if you have a 3.5 GPA? Don’t kiss your college career goodbye just yet. Yes, there are some very competitive schools that require you to have the best of the best in terms of GPA and test scores, but there are also plenty of colleges that will happily accept you and your 3.5 GPA. Ready to learn more?

What Schools Can You Get into With a 3.5 GPA?

Please keep in mind that in the college admissions process, your GPA is not the only determining factor for you being accepted or not. Admissions boards also consider things like your essays, standardize test scores, letters of recommendation, and what extracurricular activities you’ve been involved in. But when you’re looking for colleges to apply to, using your 3.5 GPA as a starting place can help you narrow down what schools to learn more about.

Reach Schools

Below are some schools that will be harder to get into based on your 3.5 GPA alone. Remember, these are not all of the schools that can be a reach school for you; they’re just a sampling I’ve put together.

School Name	Location	SAT (2400)	SAT (1600)	ACT	GPA
American University	Washington, DC	1882	1340	28	3.72
Binghamton University	Vestal, NY	1910	1350	29	3.6
Boston University	Boston, MA	1930	1370	29	3.59
Carnegie Mellon University	Pittsburgh, PA	2117	1470	32	3.72
Chapman University	Orange, CA	1820	1300	27	3.68
New York University	New York, NY	2015	1420	30	3.71
Stony Brook University	Stony Brook, NY	1837	1310	28	3.76
United States Military Academy	West Point, NY	1894	1350	29	3.74
University of Connecticut	Storrs, CT	1840	1310	27	3.67
University of Massachusetts Amherst	Amherst, MA	1208	900	27	3.73
University of Texas at Dallas	Richardson, TX	1853	1320	28	3.69

Match Schools

Now, your Match Schools are the ones that you and your GPA are a good fit for. Below are a few schools to get you started with your college search. They’re by no means the only ones!

School Name	Location	SAT (2400)	SAT (1600)	ACT	GPA
Auburn University	Auburn University, AL	1736	1240	27	3.74
Drexel University	Philadelphia, PA	1788	1280	26	3.44
Hofstra University	Hempstead, NY	1150	860	25	3.51
Penn State University Park	University Park, PA	1762	1260	27	3.57
Rochester Institute of Technology	Rochester, NY	1790	1280	28	3.7
Syracuse University	Syracuse, NY	1730	1240	26	3.6
Texas A&M University	College Station, TX	1734	1240	26	3.55
Texas Christian University	Fort Worth, TX	1770	1260	27	3.59
University of Cincinnati	Cincinnati, OH	1682	1210	25	3.44
University of Houston	Houston, TX	1139	850	24	3.51
University of Oklahoma	Norman, OK	1160	860	26	3.59

Safety Schools

These are the schools that will look at your 3.5 GPA and probably send you an acceptance letter on the spot. You have a much higher chance of getting into these schools than the others we’ve discussed, but they’re just a starting point for you!

School Name	Location	SAT (2400)	SAT (1600)	ACT	GPA
California State University Long Beach	Long Beach, CA	1027	780	21	3.5
Ohio University	Athens, OH	1618	1170	24	3.42
Pace University	New York, NY	1090	820	24	3.31
Quinnipiac University	Hamden, CT	1640	1180	24	3.4
Seton Hall University	South Orange, NJ	1670	1200	25	3.45
Temple University	Philadelphia, PA	1682	1210	24	3.44
Texas Tech University	Lubbock, TX	1631	1170	25	3.42
University of Alabama	Tuscaloosa, AL	1679	1210	26	3.6
University of Arizona	Tucson, AZ	1625	1170	24	3.4
University of North Texas	Denton, TX	1620	1170	23	3.41
University of Oregon	Eugene, OR	1664	1200	24	3.6

What Can You Do Next?

Honestly, this depends on where you are in your high school career. The advice that works for a freshman will not apply to you if you’re a senior. So, I’ve organized my words of wisdom based on your grade. If you’re a

Freshman: You have plenty of time to improve your GPA so you can apply to more competitive colleges. Now is a great time to work with a tutor if you’re struggling with specific subjects or a personal coach if you have a time management problem.
Sophomore: Don’t worry, if you work really hard this year and your junior year, you can bring up your GPA slightly. You should concentrate on developing good study habits and working with someone to keep you accountable.
Junior: Because the GPA you have now is what will show up when you apply to college, there’s not much you can do to change your GPA. I suggest you maintain your grades and focus your efforts on test prep instead.
Senior: You’re probably in the middle of applying for schools right now! Work with a college consultant to help you identify more schools that fit your GPA and standardized test scores.

Remember, if you want to go to a more competitive school, but it’s not possible right now, you can always work towards transferring. Be sure to do your research to make sure you can coordinate classes and that the move won’t be a great strain financially.

College admissions is really competitive and leaves a lot of students feeling left out if your GPAs aren’t over a 4.0, but trust me when I say you have every right to be proud of your GPA. I know these schools aren’t always talked about as often, but I don’t want you to think that just because you have a 3.5 GPA that you have no good options in terms of colleges. You now have 33 options to choose from. And that’s just a sampling!

Do you have a 3.5 GPA? What are your thoughts on some of the schools we talked about? Comment below and tell us what’s on your mind!

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