<p>OP, the problem is that most schools that even care about ECs as a factor in admissions don’t even look at the ECs until an application has survived an initial screening. In other words, if an application doesn’t show adequate grades/rank/rigor/curriculum/scores it is unlikely that the application is going to go far enough in the process for ECs to be considered as a factor—it’s academics first.</p>
<p>At the schools that really consider ECs as a factor in admissions, it’s basically a given that the academic standards of the school are met. There are plenty of applications from more-than-academically qualified applicants that will also cover a full range of ECs for the school not to need to consider the applicant whose ECs may shine, but the academics don’t.</p>
<p>Of course, this does not necessarily apply to that small group of applicants who bring something particularly wanted by a school…for example a star quarterback or an Intel winner…but those students are not applying in the regular run of admissions anyway.</p>