<p>I would say that being rank 1 discounts for the grades, but his improving grades indicate that he COULD HAVE done better early on in HS. I would recommend explaining why he waited until late in his HS career to bring up his grades. That 80 really sticks out.</p>
<p>Also, the fact that the SAT is so high, but mixed in with some abnormal grades in the beginning may suggest that he is intelligent, but lazy/inconsistent. </p>
<p>But then again, it probably won’t make or break the deal. Usually people don’t have a problem ‘qualifying’ for admissions. Many people just don’t have that extra edge to stand out.</p>