A high GPA bar like this has its benefits: Climb over it and you will share access to higher quality resources (fellow students, profs, likely also higher quality teaching facilities, labs, etc.).
I am not an advocate of achieving high GPAs for its own sake, but there is a huge dividing line between somebody in a high quality CS department and somebody who isn't. Trust me, you will learn more from good teachers than you will ever learn alone (libraby books or not).
I am not an advocate of achieving high GPAs for its own sake, but there is a huge dividing line between somebody in a high quality CS department and somebody who isn't. Trust me, you will learn more from good teachers than you will ever learn alone (libraby books or not).