In 1966, one in five first-year college students reported earning an A average in high school. By 2025, that figure had climbed to more than four in five, according to UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute.
So, if it seems like nearly every student in your child’s grade has a 4.0, there’s a reason. GPAs above 4.0 have become common, and once most applicants have an A average, grades reveal far less than they used to.
Colleges have adjusted their evaluation process accordingly. A strong GPA remains essential for admission to a selective school, but it can only tell admissions officers so much. To understand what those grades actually mean, they look closely at the student’s school, the rigor of their coursework, and any standardized test scores they submit.
What fills the gap GPA left behind
Your school’s profile. Every high school sends a profile along with each student’s transcript. It gives admissions officers important context: how many students take AP or honors classes, how grades are distributed, and sometimes how the school’s grading compares with that of nearby districts.
That context can completely change how a transcript is read. Two students may both have a 3.9 GPA, but their academic records can look very different if one attends a school where A’s are widespread and the other attends one with tougher grading standards.
Course rigor, read in context. Admissions officers compare the transcript with the opportunities listed in the school profile. They consider how many advanced courses the school offers, which ones the student chose, and how that student performed relative to classmates.
A 90 in the most demanding course sequence available may say more than a 98 in a much easier one. AP exam scores can provide another useful point of comparison because they are measured on the same scale nationwide. For example, a student who takes AP Calculus BC and earns a 4 on the exam provides stronger evidence of college-level math preparation than a student with a 99 average in a non-AP precalculus class, even though the second grade looks better on paper.
Test scores. Standardized testing still carries weight, including at colleges with test-optional policies. The decision to submit a score should usually depend on how it compares with the college’s middle 50 percent, rather than whether the number simply feels “good.”
A strong SAT or ACT score gives admissions officers a consistent data point across schools with very different courses and grading systems. Grade inflation has also contributed to the return of testing requirements at some colleges. When a transcript is filled with A’s (and so are everyone else’s) test scores can help admissions teams distinguish among academically strong applicants.
What you can do
Ask your counselor how your school’s grading compares with that of peer schools and whether the school profile communicates that clearly.
Encourage your student to pursue rigor in subjects where they are prepared to succeed, rather than automatically choosing the hardest available course in every department.
Treat standardized testing as a deliberate part of the admissions plan.
🗓️ NYC Opportunities
Every issue, we'll point you toward specific NYC programs, deadlines, and events that help your student explore what they're actually curious about and build the kind of depth colleges are looking for. Here's what's worth your attention this week:
1. MoMA Teens-in-Residence (Grades 10 to 12)
Deadline: Monday, September 14, at 11:59 p.m.
This program that takes students inside the workings of an art museum and the broader art world. Each week, teen residents connect with artists and museum professionals, take part in hands-on workshops, and help plan public programs. Students lead gallery experiences and develop interpretive text and audio that museum visitors actually use. There is also a $1000 stipend available. Residents meet every Tuesday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., October 2026 through June 2027, and must be available for occasional additional sessions including some weekends. Learn more and apply→
Why it matters: This is a nine month commitment with a paycheck and a supervisor, which is a different kind of experience than a one week program. Students work alongside professionals long enough for those adults to see how they think, how they handle a deadline, and how they respond when a project shifts. That is the foundation of both a real skill set and a recommendation letter written by someone outside the school building.
2. The Saturday Program, The Cooper Union (High School)
Deadline: Sunday, September 13
Founded in 1968, the Saturday Program has offered free art and architecture classes to New York City public high school students for more than 55 years, filling gaps left by underfunded arts programs. Students receive high quality visual arts instruction typically reserved for expensive programs, along with field trips, studio visits, and presentations from working artists. Writing workshops are woven through the curriculum. The fall term runs through a December Art Crawl open studio. Eligibility is considered case by case and weighs whether a student comes from a low or moderate income household, attends a NYC public or charter high school, attends a school without a comprehensive visual arts program, or qualifies for public assistance. Students with little or no arts experience are specifically welcomed. Learn more and apply→
Why it matters: Families often assume serious arts instruction requires paying for it. This is the opposite: a nearly 60 year old program at a respected institution, free, that produces actual portfolio work. For a student weighing an expensive pre-college art program next summer, this is worth doing first.
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