<p>Classic rocker dad – the 3.7 and 30+ is what I have seen, as a parent of anxious applicant and then as parent passing along advice here and in real life, as a solid basis for acceptance. Certainly there are admissions with lower stats, but the further from that range you get, the tougher it gets, especially the later in the application cycle you are. My kid knows many Chicago area kids at UW, and perhaps, for example, UW admissions knows those schools – whether suburban public or city private – really well, and know just how deep they can go in that pool. </p>