General question about GPA from a UK student

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the differences between GPA systems in the U.S. and the UK, highlighting that a 3.0 GPA in the U.S. is often viewed as average, while a 75% average in the UK is considered a decent grade. Participants note that achieving high grades, such as 100%, is more common in the U.S. due to grading normalization practices. The conversation also touches on the complexities of converting UK grades to U.S. equivalents, suggesting that a first-class degree in the UK (70% average) could correspond to a 4.0 GPA in the U.S. Additionally, the applicant discusses their experience applying for a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program, emphasizing the requirement for U.S. citizenship or permanent residency for most programs, and mentions finding a single position available for international students, underscoring the competitive nature of these opportunities.
The thinker
Messages
54
Reaction score
0
Hi,

I'm looking at the U.S for grad school and I've been reading talk about grade point average's, more specifically that around 3.0 is not considered particularly great.

I assume that a 3.0 GPA means a 75% average, over here 75% is decent A grade. A GPA of 3.5 (which I've read is good) would be ~88%, which is fantastic!

I'm just curious about what the difference is and why people need to score so much higher in the states? is it because you guys are allowed to take all sorts of (potentially easier) courses along with your major?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
It's not simple to convert from UK grade to US grades. You could look at it the other way around: over here, a first class degree (70% average) is the highest degree you can get, so should correspond to an A in the US, or a GPA of 4.0.

The fact is that it is way easier (or maybe one should say "more common") to obtain 100% grades in the US than it is in the UK. It's all to do with normalisation of grades.
 
cristo said:
It's not simple to convert from UK grade to US grades. You could look at it the other way around: over here, a first class degree (70% average) is the highest degree you can get, so should correspond to an A in the US, or a GPA of 4.0.

The fact is that it is way easier (or maybe one should say "more common") to obtain 100% grades in the US than it is in the UK. It's all to do with normalisation of grades.

I see! Thank you very much!

I am filling in my application for an REU in the US at the moment and was going to put down 3.0 for my GPA because my average mark is 75%. I'm glad I didn't!
 
Just to give you a heads up, the REU program is through the US government, and consequently most (if not all) of the programs require US citizenship or permanent resident status. Not to discourage you, but look closely at the requirements of any REU programs you're applying to.
 
Thanks for the heads up!

I have found one lone position at a single university for an international student. I'm not going to say where though because I don't want any more competition! haha
 

Thread 'Self Learning Math/Physics'

Hey, I am Andreas from Germany. I am currently 35 years old and I want to relearn math and physics. This is not one of these regular questions when it comes to this matter. So... I am very realistic about it. I know that there are severe contraints when it comes to selfstudy compared to a regular school and/or university (structure, peers, teachers, learning groups, tests, access to papers and so on) . I will never get a job in this field and I will never be taken serious by "real"...
View full post »

Thread 'What should I do if I found a paper with same result as mine?'

Yesterday, 9/5/2025, when I was surfing, I found an article The Schwarzschild solution contains three problems, which can be easily solved - Journal of King Saud University - Science ABUNDANCE ESTIMATION IN AN ARID ENVIRONMENT https://jksus.org/the-schwarzschild-solution-contains-three-problems-which-can-be-easily-solved/ that has the derivation of a line element as a corrected version of the Schwarzschild solution to Einstein’s field equation. This article's date received is 2022-11-15...
View full post »

Similar threads

Other How much does GPA and Prestigious school indicate success?
Replies
7
Views
2K
Admissions Applying for PhD despite very weak undergraduate GPA
2
Replies
53
Views
7K
Other Physics PhD after working for few years
Replies
12
Views
2K
Admissions Chances with a Low/mid GPA but high PGRE and research experience
Replies
2
Views
2K
Studying Help How do I raise my GPA? I have a full schedule with hard classes
Replies
9
Views
3K
Admissions What are my chances of being admitted into good graduate schools?
Replies
11
Views
2K
Schools Top School, Low GPA, Good CV -- Grad School for Theoretical Physics?
Replies
7
Views
3K
Admissions Should I submit an 840 PGRE in my applications to top US PhD programs?
Replies
2
Views
2K
GPA Requirements, Masters Biophysics Canada
Replies
3
Views
2K
Programs EE grad studies with low GPA, non-degree courses?
Replies
3
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top