Do you have a 3.2 GPA? Are you wondering whether a 3.2 is good, and what colleges you can get into with a 3.2?
We've written the most detailed guide to your GPA here:
- Find out which colleges you can get into with a 3.2 GPA.
- Learn how you can raise your GPA.
- Learn what you should be doing to maximize your chances of getting into the best colleges.
Quick disclaimer: unlike standardized test scores like SAT/ACT, GPA policies vary from high school to high school and from college to college. Some use weighted GPAs and others use unweighted GPAs. In this guide, we’ll generally talk about unweighted GPAs and compare you on a national and college level.
As we'll explain below, the actual GPA number is just one dimension of your coursework. The difficulty of your courseload is important - the more difficult your classes, the more colleges are willing to excuse a dip in GPA.
Finally, even though this guide focuses on a 3.2 GPA, our advice is the same for close GPAs, like 3.22 and 3.18 GPAs. You can use this guide for all GPAs between 3.1500000000000004 and 3.24.
Is a 3.2 GPA good?
A 3.2 GPA means that you're mostly getting Bs and B+s in all of your classes. Your GPA is above the national high school average of a 3.0, but more selective colleges may be out of reach depending on your test scores and other aspects of your application.
We've analyzed the student profiles at 1500+ colleges across the United States and the average GPA of its incoming students. Here's how a 3.2 GPA compares to the nation:
-
Percentile:
29th
29.57% of schools have an average GPA below a 3.2.
-
Competitive For:
464 Schools
You can apply to colleges and have a good shot at getting admitted.
-
Missing Out On:
1105 Schools
You have a low chance of getting into with a 3.2 GPA.
To elaborate, the national average for GPA is around a 3.0, so a 3.2 puts you above average nationally. Keep in mind the 3.0 national average represents all students, not just students applying to college, so the average GPA of students admitted to colleges is higher than the national average.
Here's more custom advice for you if you have a 3.2 GPA. Click your grade level to see our evaluation.
As a freshman, you still have a few years to raise your GPA before you apply to college. With a 3.2, you may have difficulty getting into selective schools, so you could end up having far less choices for college than someone with a slightly higher GPA. The next couple years will give you the opportunity to take more difficult classes and raise your grades so that you can give yourself more options. You may not have any colleges in mind yet, but if any schools interest you feel free to look them up with our search tool in the next section. This will allow you to see your chances of admission with your current GPA. You can also change this page to a slightly higher GPA and recheck your chances in order to motivate yourself!
You're past the halfway point for college applications, so your GPA may be difficult to change from now on. However, it's still possible to make a difference in your GPA if you do very well junior year. Though you have a higher than average GPA, you are still going to run into some obstacles in the college application process if you're hoping to get into more selective schools. You can check your admissions chances at any colleges you think you're interested in with the search tool in the next section.
Your GPA will most likely stay the same between now and senior fall when you apply to college, barring any extreme differences in your grades. While a 3.2 is a decent GPA, it's not significantly higher than average and will put some limits on your college search and application process. More selective schools will probably be out of reach with this GPA, but you will still have plenty of options. If you're thinking about any schools at this point, you can search for them in the next section to see how your chances of admission look based on your GPA and test scores.
Since you're a senior, it's likely that you've already begun the college application process in some capacity. If you've done some research, you probably know that a 3.2 GPA limits your college search quite a bit. You still have a high enough GPA to be competitive at a range of schools, but more selective options may be closed off to you. If you already know where you plan to apply, you can search for those schools in the next section and check on your chances of admission.
Your Chances With a 3.2 GPA
This is probably the biggest question on your mind. What colleges can you get into with a 3.2? What are your chances of admission at your top choice schools?
We've built a custom admissions calculator that calculates your chances based on the 3 most important factors to determining your chance of admissions:
- The school's admission rate
- Your GPA
- Your SAT/ACT score
Here's how to use this calculator:
- Choose the SAT or the ACT, depending on which you're taking
- Choose your current SAT/ACT score
- Enter the name of each college you're interested in
- Change your SAT/ACT score to see how your chances change
How would your chances improve with a better score?
Try to take your current SAT score and add 160 points (or take your ACT score and add 4 points) to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve?
This is important when you're considering your GPA. You probably know how hard it is to pull up your grades and GPA. If you improve your SAT/ACT score, you'll be able to show colleges that you're academically prepared for college.
At PrepScholar, we've created the leading online SAT/ACT prep program. We guarantee an improvement of 160 SAT points or 4 ACT points on your score, or your money back.
Here's a summary of why we're so much more effective than other prep programs:
- PrepScholar customizes your prep to your strengths and weaknesses. You don't waste time working on areas you already know, so you get more results in less time.
- We guide you through your program step-by-step so that you're never confused about what you should be studying. Focus all your time learning, not worrying about what to learn.
- Our team is made of national SAT/ACT experts. PrepScholar's founders are Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers. You'll be studying using the strategies that actually worked for them.
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There's a lot more to PrepScholar that makes it the best SAT/ACT prep program. Click to learn more about our program, or sign up for our 5-day free trial to check out PrepScholar for yourself:
Can You Improve Your GPA?
We’re not going to sugarcoat it: GPAs aren’t easy to improve. The later you are in high school, the less your GPA will change before you apply to college.
For example, if you're currently a junior in high school, your grades in freshman and sophomore year will anchor your GPA so that your junior grades won't be able to change your total GPA much.
Here's a calculator for you to see how much your GPA can improve in different cases. Choose your current grade level, and then choose your future grades up until college applications. We'll show you how high or low your GPA can be, depending on your grades from now forward.
| Your Grade Level | Current GPA | Semesters Remaining | Future Grades | GPA for Applications |
3.2 |
0 | 3.2 |
Warning: Because you have no semesters left, your GPA won't change by the time college applications are due. You'll need to apply with a 3.2 GPA. As we explain next, your best chance at improving your chances of getting in may be to improve your SAT/ACT score.
Final Verdict and Advice
From the information above, you can see that your current GPA will give you a relatively wide variety of college options. You still have an above average GPA, and you won't have a problem getting into schools that are on the less selective side. As a freshman, however, you have plenty of time to get your GPA even higher and be competitive for a greater number of schools. You should start pushing yourself as soon as possible to improve your grades and, if you're up to it, take more difficult classes. If you can manage to put in more effort, it will pay off when colleges see that you grew immensely over the course of your years in high school. It's easy to get stuck in a rut with your study habits, so try and fix any problems you're having in your classes sooner rather than later!
As a sophomore, you still have a year left to raise your GPA. Based on your college searches in the tool above, you'll see that you have a good chance of acceptance to less selective schools, but there will still be many colleges that are out of reach. Over the course of your junior year, you should work on improving your grades as much as possible and challenging yourself in your classes. You may not be able to change your GPA that much, but colleges will notice even small differences in your grades and the difficulty of your coursework.
You can also start studying for standardized tests so that you end up with high scores that will improve your admissions prospects. Planning ahead for standardized tests will help you to reduce stress next year and avoid retaking tests too many times. If you're responsible with your study habits next year and plan ahead for college applications, you have a solid chance of getting into a good school.
At this point, you most likely won't be able to make any significant changes in your GPA before you apply to college. Based on the tool above, you can see that you have a strong chance of being accepted to many colleges, but schools that are on the more competitive side may be out of reach.
You should still try to raise your grades, but your best shot at increasing your chances of admission at this point lies in improving your standardized test scores. Prepare yourself well for the SAT or ACT so that you end up with impressive scores that will give your more options for college. Overall, you shouldn't be too worried about the application process if you choose your colleges wisely. There are many good schools out there that will accept you with your current GPA.
Hopefully the tools in this article gave you a good sense of your chances of admission at the schools where you plan on applying (or have already applied). If it's still early in your senior year and you're concerned that your GPA might make it difficult to get into a college you really like, you might consider retaking the SAT or ACT. You can still send your scores to colleges after you've already sent in your regular applications, and high standardized test scores can go a long way in improving your admissions chances at most schools. Whatever the situation may be, your GPA most likely means that you'll be able to get into schools that you like as long as you don't set your sights unrealistically high.
Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.
Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and ACT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.
Colleges that Accept a 3.2 GPA
We've picked out a set of schools that are within range. Click on each school to learn more about it.
Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into
These schools are hard for you to get into now, because their average GPA is higher than a 3.2. But if you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll have a much better shot.
| School Name | Location | SAT | ACT | GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temple University | Philadelphia, PA | 1241 | 28 | 3.42 |
| University of Houston | Houston, TX | 1225 | 26 | 3.49 |
| St. Joseph's University, Brooklyn Campus | Brooklyn, NY | 1213 | 25 | 3.3 |
| Drew University | Madison, NJ | 1212 | 27 | 3.1 |
| Pace University | New York, NY | 1173 | 26 | 3.35 |
| State University of New York Maritime College | The Bronx, NY | 1170 | 26 | 3.3 |
| University of North Texas | Denton, TX | 1160 | 23 | 3.47 |
| University of Texas at Arlington | Arlington, TX | 1160 | 23 | 3.47 |
| State University of New York College at Potsdam | Potsdam, NY | 1140 | 25 | 3.3 |
| University of New Orleans | New Orleans, LA | 1140 | 23 | 3.21 |
| State University of New York Plattsburgh | Plattsburgh, NY | 1130 | 21 | 3.09 |
Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into
These schools have average GPAs that are close to 3.2. If you apply to these schools, you'll have a decent chance of admission. If you improve your SAT or ACT scores, you'll significantly improve your chances .
| School Name | Location | SAT | ACT | GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington State University | Pullman, WA | 1125 | 23 | 3.5 |
| Albright College | Reading, PA | 1120 | 23 | 3.05 |
| Stevenson University | Owings Mills, MD | 1120 | 22 | 3.1 |
| University of Texas at San Antonio | San Antonio, TX | 1120 | 22 | 3.39 |
| College of St. Rose | Albany, NY | 1108 | 23 | 3.3 |
| Bryn Athyn College | Bryn Athyn, PA | 1106 | 22 | 3.2 |
| East Carolina University | Greenville, NC | 1105 | 22 | 3.3 |
| St. Thomas Aquinas College | Sparkill, NY | 1097 | 20 | 3.14 |
| Texas State University | San Marcos, TX | 1080 | 23 | 3.31 |
| California State University Channel Islands | Camarillo, CA | 1070 | 21 | 3.22 |
| Salem State University | Salem, MA | 1065 | 21 | 3.17 |
Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into
With a GPA of 3.2, you're already strongly competitive for these schools. You're very likely to get admitted if you apply. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, your Safety Schools will get better and better.
| School Name | Location | SAT | ACT | GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Houston State University | Huntsville, TX | 1060 | 21 | 3.28 |
| Hampton University | Hampton, VA | 1059 | 22 | 3.4 |
| University of Texas at El Paso | El Paso, TX | 1040 | 20 | 3.28 |
| Saint Peter's University | Jersey City, NJ | 1030 | 20 | 3.29 |
| California State University Northridge | Northridge, CA | 1030 | 19 | 3.42 |
| California State University Fresno | Fresno, CA | 1010 | 19 | 3.18 |
| California State University East Bay | Hayward, CA | 992 | 19 | 3.2 |
| Kean University | Union, NJ | 990 | 20 | 3.2 |
| University of Texas at Brownsville | Brownsville, TX | 990 | 19 | 3.14 |
| California State University Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | 985 | 18 | 3.35 |
| California State University Dominguez Hills | Carson, CA | 900 | 15 | 3.22 |
Change My GPA
Curious about what your profile is with a different GPA? Choose any GPA to see what you'd be able to do!
Analyze Your SAT/ACT Score
Wondering about how competitive your current SAT or ACT score is? We've created strategy guides for each SAT and ACT score so you can see what your chances are at schools, and what will happen if you improve your score.
Data on this page is sourced from Peterson's Databases © 2023 (Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.) as well as additional publicly available sources.
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