Hi I was wondering if someone with a GPA of 3.8 every semester look better or a student who started off at like a 3.6 and improved to a 4.0 look better but the student who improved has a lower cumulative gpa than the student who had a consistent gpa. Lets say like a 3.8 compared to a 3.7.
Generally a stable GPA at a high level is better than an upward trend - if you’re comparing apples-to-apples. Level of rigor matters, though, as do many other factors.
It doesn’t matter. It isn’t like you choose between one or the other.
Would that be true if both students are taking hard classes and one would be earning a consistent 3.8 for all semesters while the other student may have started off as like a 3.6 but ended up higher at a 4.0 for the last semester or two?
You may be overthinking this, and you’re obviously comparing yourself to a classmate. The reality is that rarely are the situations or the end goals the same. Colleges don’t set quotas on how many students they take from a single high school. If the 3.7 meets some other unknown-to-the-applicant need the college has (or is perhaps a URM or legacy), the 3.7 gets in and the 3.8 may or may not. Unless the college has a need in mind for these particular applicants, though, yes, the 3.8 is going to look better on their metrics and their common data set than a 3.7.
As @Eeyore123 pointed out, it isn’t a choice at this point, so focus on crafting the best application you can, not on what your friends are doing.
IMO it is impossible to answer a hypothetical question such as this.
– Different admission officers and different colleges may have different opinions.
– Course rigor is important in evaluating GPA.
– GPA is but one factor in a holistic admissions decision.
– And most importantly your grades are what they are at this point so there is no use stressing over things you can’t change.
I think that it is best that you do as well as you can now, and as well as you can next semester and next year. Do not compare yourself to class mates – there are enough spots at very good universities for both of you.
Thanks for your guys’ insight!
Way too many factors to provide any concrete answer.
A steady 4.0 in all AP courses would be looked upon more favorably than a 3.0 climbing to a 3.5 in mainline courses. Outside of such extremes, the rigor of courses, specific subjects (AP Human Geo or AP Physics C?), etc. all impact an evaluation.