This is a question that I've asked for 10 years now. I think a lot of it has to do with chapter size, as well as the slightly elevated age of NPHC chapter members. If a pledge class of 50 pulls a 3.5 in their lower division classes, that could offset the 3.0 average of a senior class. Since NPHC chapters are smaller, that doesn't average out to be the same. Also, the vast majority of NPHC members I know are engineers, pre-med, and pre-dental. Their GPAs aren't going to be as high as the NPC chapter with a ton of art history, interior design, or education majors.
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