<p>Here is an article looking at the correlation between student stats and admit rate for UCLA.</p>
<p>A high GPA shows the strongest correlation to admissions.
The easy route is not the best route, when it comes to course load.
Preparing for the SAT can double chance of acceptance.
Subject Tests may be “optional” but they can dramatically increase chances.</p>
<p>Correlation is not causation. 1) The vast # of people who submit SAT2 tests are doing so because they are intent on applying to an extremely limited suite of colleges that require SAT2s and tend to attract/admit people with higher academic achievement and casually submit their SAT2s to UCLA as an afterthought. Thus, this group likely are those who are already come to the show as the top group of applicants.</p>
<p>I’m sure if you look at almost any good school that also will accept SAT2s, you 'll find that cohort to be admitted at a higher rate than those who don’t submit them.</p>
<p>2) Preparing for SAT doubles chances. Yeah – because this group consistently scores higher than those people who take it only once, with maybe only a few online practice tests under their belt. These test preppers, I guarantee you, come from a higher income strata and household education level than those who don’t prep for the SAT/ACT.</p>
<p>Correlation is not causation but can suggest causation. I guess most students don’t want to be on the other side of the odd and try everything they can.</p>