... as at some schools above a 3.0 in some majors is nearly impossible.
Overall I liked your post but on this point above, eeish, I respectfully disagree. That's not correct. Talk with your Dept. Chairs and ask what the GPA ranges are in their programs, and you'll learn that there are people in the toughest majors at the schools hardest to get good grades at, who excel. I went to a top ranked school, and saw similar defeated / determined in the wrong direction attitudes predetermine a lot of my peers having far lower grades than they were capable of. Many of them were honestly far more naturally intelligent than me, and came from even better schools than I had, and I outperformed them, quite often. Why? Attitude, grit, scrappiness, determination, resolve - game changers.
Honestly too many people get comfortable with lowering of a bar with regards to the challenge of top programs. Conversely no need for people to take a swan dive off the highest library floor or into the Ithaca gorge either if they get less than an A in college courses after knocking the cover off the ball in HS (both happen). But one's attitude can determine your success maybe more than some realize.
If one decides something is impossible, it will be, and visa-versa. So decide where you need to be and work to get there.
Good luck.