<p>I disagree with Ambitiousteen … it’s okay for people to do chance threads b/c it gives them an idea of what to expect … but they should definitely not stick their lives to what we say, because let’s say a 3.3 UW GPA student is so passionate about learning that she goes on to doing extra projects outside of class to learn more about what she’s learning vs. a 4.0 UW student with a gazillion APs, 2300+ SAT score, 500 hours of volunteering (aka typical overachiever) … and both apply to the same school, the 3.3 actually might have a chance of getting in b/c they love learning and that’s something their stats don’t tell (I took this idea from the book “A is for Admission”) Top schools love it when people are passionate. </p>
<p>On the other hand, I agree with phuriku … most colleges definitely are not as holistic as they claim. For example, Brown rates each applicant on a scale from 1 to 6 in each of the areas of academics (weighted ~70%) and in extracurriculars (weighted ~30%) … however, if you’re rated as a mid-range applicant, especially at the Ivies, your essays can definitely influence your admission decision. The same goes for UPenn and their 9-point system.</p>