^^^ Good point. I was just reading today a statement about what a certain graduate level scholarship program is searching for, and they list the traits being sought as…
We are interested in evidence of leadership qualities and initiative, academic ability via a demonstrated record of accomplishment, character, adaptability and ambassadorial qualities, etc.
And while this program requires at least a 3.7 cumulative college GPA to apply, clearly they are looking for much more. Simply bringing a 4.0 GPA to such an application process, for example, would clearly be insufficient as a stand-alone.
Colleges are no different when they are evaluating high school seniors as applicants. Yes… they are looking for a sufficient level of academic accomplishment, but that is just a starting point. And having near perfect or even perfect grades or test scores is not adequate to negate all of the other factors being sought. Young people need to grasp this concept and quickly… as the real world is no exception. Aside from applying to undergraduate or graduate scholarship programs or to graduate school itself, there will be very few instances in the future when your grades or test scores will ever be brought up or asked about again. Instead, employers are most interested in the composite nature of job applicants as a totality… including the things mentioned above by @uscalum05… character, good social skills, the ability to communicate well verbally and in writing, etc. Being an honors graduate from USC or elsewhere would be a bonus, but again, that is just one thing about you under consideration.
And you should also have a “why us?” answer prepared for each subsequent program or job you apply for going forward. USC is not the only place who cares about why you want to be a part of their organization…