Year to year GPA changes of entering classes

[Baba Yaga]

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So as I was reading the ADEA Guide to Dental Schools 2013, I noticed that there were a couple of schools that had GPA's that seemed to increase by a lot compared to the ADEA Guide to Dental Schools 2013.

For example, for NYU:
3.53 ogpa and 3.44 sgpa (2013 ADEA guide) versus 3.4 ogpa and 3.29 sgpa (2012 ADEA guide)

For USC:
3.53 ogpa and 3.45 sgpa (2013 ADEA guide) versus 3.4 ogpa and 3.3 sgpa (2012 ADEA guide)

I was under the impression that GPA usually stays pretty constant, but is that wrong? If there was a +.15 increase in these GPA's, does that mean that these schools are attracting a different caliber of student now?

If I were using the 2012 guide as a reference point, then these two schools would fall into different categories based on my #'s in the categories I am using to classify schools to determine which ones I should apply to than if I were using the 2013 guide. I don't have the luxury of being able to pony up $$$ to apply to 20-25 schools, so I am really trying to target schools that would actually give me a chance.

What do you guys think/would you do in this situation?

 

[Hawkteeth]

I think it's getting more competitive, but maybe it's stats being stats. They go up and down. But I would try and find the money, it will be worth it.