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The population in general continues to grow much faster than the number of people admitted to Ivy League schools. So it stands to reason that the few who manag

The population in general continues to grow much faster than the number of people admitted to Ivy League schools. So it stands to reason that the few who manage to get in are going to uncharacteristically intelligent and driven, even compared to previous Ivy League cohorts. Which will drive up GPAs. Honestly, if the median GPA at Harvard was less than a 3.5, then that would raise questions. Because it means that either grading is unfair -- i.e., grading on a curve, rather than on an understanding of the material -- or that students aren't as capable as the school's reputation implies.

ceeplusplus 4y ago
> uncharacteristically intelligent and driven Or they had the right skin color [1]. [1] https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2018/6/16/admissions-suit-arguments/ https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2018/6/16/admissions-suit...
carabiner 4y ago
Harvard students of today are enormously more effective and likely intelligent than those of before. Some of that is due to technology making schoolwork easier, but also because of population growth like you said. In the 1950s, you could get into Harvard with one AP course scoring a 3: https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/29/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/29Rparenting..html https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/29/nyregion/nyregionspecial2... Today you might have 5's on a dozen AP courses and be fully rejected (not waitlisted).