Achieving an average of 13 in the baccalaureate places a student in the “fairly good” mention category. This result, neither weak nor outstanding, raises a recurring question among high school students and their families: is this grade sufficient to access the desired fields in higher education and keep up with the pace?
The true value of the fairly good mention on Parcoursup
The fairly good mention at the bac does not trigger any automatic advantages in the post-bac admission process. Parcoursup ranks applications based on criteria specific to each program: grades by subject, teacher evaluations, motivation letters, extracurricular activities. The overall average is just one element among others.
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What weighs more heavily are the grades in subjects related to the requested field. A student with a general average of 13 but with 15 in math and physics-chemistry presents a stronger profile for an engineering school than a student with a 14 average but 11 in those subjects. The ranking algorithms for selective programs heavily weigh relevant specialties.
For non-selective programs (university degrees), the question of the average at the bac arises differently. Admission is guaranteed for any graduate, but the ability to keep up with the pace depends on the strength of the disciplinary foundations, not the overall number on the transcript.
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Bac average and access to selective programs: the real thresholds
The question of having an average of 13 at the bac takes on a different dimension depending on the intended field. For the most prestigious scientific preparatory classes, a general average of 13 is below the typical accepted profile. However, many local preparatory classes accept students in this range, provided that the results in scientific subjects are consistent.
For medical studies via PASS or LAS, an average of 13 does not constitute either an admission threshold or a reliable indicator of success. Selection is based on the results obtained in the first year of the degree, with specific exams. The bac opens the door, but the competition takes place afterward.
Post-bac business schools, BTS, and BUT operate according to their own criteria. A file with a 13 average and positive evaluations, along with a coherent project, regularly passes in these programs. The available data do not allow for a universal threshold to be set, as each institution applies its own selection criteria.
The complementary phase as a safety net
Parcoursup provides for a complementary phase that allows students to make up to ten new wishes in programs that still have available places. This mechanism shows that post-bac orientation is not fixed on a single result. Students with an average of 13 find places in fields that suit them, sometimes better adapted than their initial wishes.
Success in higher education: does the bac really predict the future?
The link between the bac average and success in higher education is looser than many imagine. The transition to higher education imposes skills that the bac does not directly measure: autonomy in work, the ability to manage a dense course load, and the ability to seek information independently.
A student with a 13 average who has acquired these skills during high school starts with a functional foundation. A student with a 15 who achieved their results through very close supervision may find themselves struggling with the freedom of the university system. The method of work is as important as the starting level.
The factors that determine post-bac success fall into several categories:
- The consistency of personal work, more predictive than the occasional intensity before exams
- The ability to quickly identify one’s weaknesses and seek help (tutoring, study groups, teachers)
- The fit between the student’s profile and the specific requirements of the chosen program
- The motivation related to the professional project, which supports sustained effort over time
The trap of comparing averages
Reasoning solely in terms of overall average masks significant disparities. Two students with a 13 average can have radically different profiles: one with consistent grades around 13 across the board, the other with 16 in sciences and 9 in languages. The detailed profile by subject is more informative than the overall number.
Higher education programs are aware of this. That is why Parcoursup transmits to institutions the detailed grades by discipline, class averages, and the student’s rank, not just the overall average.
Post-bac orientation with an average of 13: strategic choices
With an average of 13, the range of accessible programs remains broad. BTS and BUT offer a structured environment, with small class sizes and close pedagogical support similar to that in high school. For a student who needs structure, these fields present a higher success rate than that of general degrees.
Specialized schools (paramedical, social, communication, design) often select based on applications and interviews. The bac average weighs less than the coherence of the path and demonstrated motivation. A student with a 13 average who has relevant internship experience or associative engagement related to the targeted field has a real advantage.
- BTS and BUT: structured environment, integrated internships, quick professional integration
- University degree: freedom and autonomy, requires good personal organization
- Specialized schools: selection based on project rather than grades, often with entrance exams or interviews
The costs of education also constitute a parameter to consider. The tuition fees of private grandes écoles continue to rise sharply, making public programs (university, BTS in high school) more economically accessible for profiles with a 13 average who prefer to limit financial risk.
The bac average sets a starting point, not a trajectory. A student with a 13 who chooses a program suited to their profile, works consistently, and adjusts their orientation throughout their journey has the same chances of professional success as a student who entered higher education with a better grade. The final diploma and the skills acquired during studies count more than the number recorded on the bac transcript.