<p>They aren’t that important at all.</p>
<p>A kid with Cs and Ds Freshman year but all As for the rest has nearly the same chances of a kid with all As every year, ceteris paribus.</p>
<p>They’re interested in the kid applying right now, not the kid who screwed up freshman year. </p>
<p>Freshman year is critical in less tangible ways.</p>