Look at a college of interest and google " common data set".
Look in Section C:
Relative importance of each of the following academic and nonacademic factors in first-time, firstyear,
degree-seeking (freshman) admission decisions
It rates each of the items below Very Important, Important, Considered Not ,Considered
Academic:
Rigor of secondary school record
Class rank
Academic GPA
Standardized test scores
Application Essay
Recommendation(s)
Nonacademic:
Interview
Extracurricular activities
Talent/ability
Character/personal qualities
First generation
Alumni/ae relation
Geographical residence
State residency
Religious affiliation/commitment
Racial/ethnic status
Volunteer work
Work experience
Level of applicant’s interest
The first four are usually “Very Important”. For private schools, the nonacademic ones may be more important. For massive public schools, it is usually about grades/GPA.