<p>I still disagree based on people I’ve spoken to. For instance, a committee member for the MD/PHD program at the school I work at interviewed a kid with a 4.0 from a SUNY school and a kid with a 3.7 at NYU and she clearly favored the NYU kid because “the NYU courseload was undoubtedly more difficult”. This is just one example of several I have heard of in many graduate fields. Either way, it does happen but the weight they give you varies largely. Instead of arguing, lets agree to advise the kid to get a 3.9/4.0 which would put them in a great position to do whatever they want.</p>