<p>The number I gave is from the UMass Common Data Set - [url=<a href=“http://www.umass.edu/oapa/publications/cds/]here[/url”>http://www.umass.edu/oapa/publications/cds/]here[/url</a>] - see item C12, which reports that enrolled freshman had an average gpa of 3.56.</p>
<p>Using the database - our school is hooked into the naviance system - the number from my high school is 3.33 and 1244 (out of 1600). BUT, the numbers are distorted by some acceptances that, I would bet, reflect some special circumstance - perhaps minority or athlete or something very unusual (money for sure, and maybe disability). The lowest acceptance, for example, was a 1.93 gpa and there’s a smallish group with decent grades but low scores or vice versa who were admitted and these bring down the average. (I wonder if those kids survive or if they went?) The scattergraph shows the median is close to the average, which likely reflects that UMass is a safety for many. (There are kids with 4.0 and 1500+ listed.) A few of the Ivy schools have admits listed with barely B averages and middling to poor test scores. I know some of those kids and they’re minority or major league legacy. </p>
<p>You really have to go through the graphs and other data. Some schools have shocking results. For example, MIT admitted 5 kids in the two year graphed period and, get this, 1 kid has 1600 SAT but a 3.05, 1 kid had a 3.5 and 1520 and then it gets really weird with 1 kid having a 1.59 and 825 - yes, you read that right - and another 3.27 and 825. One of my kids says the guidance counselors go over this stuff and tell them, “Now you can see who gave lots of money.” And you can see the minority admissions. And in some cases, the athlete admissions. It’s astounding.</p>