<p>Take a look at the number of students who graduate with honors (3.3) or highest honors 3.7). Might only be 10-15/class with the latter. And this is graduating GPA which is typically higher than junior GPA, the one used in grad school apps. Sometimes those apps ask for GPA in your major courses, which can help. Mudd’s core courses have diminished many an overall GPA. You have to be able to work exceedingly hard on STEM areas that hold no interest to you to have a >3.7 GPA. I would say that you would have to be a star in your major to get into the tippy top PhD program. Even then, if Mudd doesn’t routinely feed to those in your major, you might be rejected in a competitive year–those programs have plenty of applicants with 4.0’s from other elite colleges. However, even with a 3.3, if you have great research/great recs/great GREs, and have made a contribution on campus, you will likely get several offers from top 5 to top 20 programs. Remember it is not so much where you go as what you do in grad school that will lead to career success.</p>