Do American High Schools and Universities have different GPA values?

Question

Hey, My subject may be a little confusing, so I clarify it here.

I'm currently in university in Canada, and I am unfamiliar with the American GPA system. I understand that while an A- in Canada is 80-84, It is not the case in America.

So, My question is, for instance, the average GPA for, say, McGill's Medical School (Montreal) is 3.9, i.e. above 85 but not 90....when all these American schools say...various GPA values...what do they mean? Are American High-school GPAs equal to American University GPAs?

For instance, if Harvard Medical School says that their av. GPA is 3.9...what does that equal?

So for American Universities, what percentages correspond to their associated GPA values...

80%=???
85%=???
90%=???

or conversely,

3.7=???
3.9=???

I'm querying about only American Universities and not high schools.
Thanks!

Answer 1

I've taught in both Canada and the U.S. The big difference is that there IS no standard correspondence between a percentage and a GPA in the U.S. It is up to individual instructors, because the percentages are never recorded anywhere officially.