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<p>Try full course load (with honors and grad level courses), 20+ hours per week working in a lab, two time consuming ECs, and a 3.9 GPA. That happens too. :)</p>
<p>I think for a lot of students they do well in spite of their best efforts. By that I mean that the goal is not to get great grades. The goal for many is to learn - the grades just come. </p>
<p>Sure there are students that just do enough to get by, and I’m sure there are some pre-med and pre-law that will do anything to get a GPA 0.1 higher. But I think UofC’s legendary (and perhaps inaccurate!) reputation for grade deflation leads a lot of kids who just want a high GPA to go elsewhere. After all, reputedly, there are many alternatives where it is easier to get a high GPA (even though popular wisdom may be innacurate), so why take the risk at UofC. </p>
<p>In fact, I might argue that UofC’s reputation works to the advantage of its students. Consider; to the extent that UofC is not really grade deflated (which it appears is the case) while at the same time adcoms at law and med schools believe it is, UofC students can only win. The playing field will be level at those places that use formulaic admissons, and will give an edge to those places that are more holistic.</p>
<p>Let us not broadcast this theory, lest some adcoms catch on, to the detriment of current UofC students.</p>