Reply to Do HS Freshman and Sophomore Year grades matter for college admissions?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Absolutely.  It is a cumulative GPA for all four years.  Some people will say that some colleges will note if a student has improved their grades over the four years but IMHE no college has that much time when they are processing 35,000 applications - it really all comes down to GPA (including the AP courses), test scores, and ECs.   Essays get read only if you make the first cut on test scores and GPA>[/quote]

This is all hog wash. It does not just come down to GPA and test scores. [b]Why are many valedictorians and/or kids with perfect test scores rejected from top schools in favor of kids without those credentials? Hmmmmmm. [/b]
Teacher recommendations and jobs/projects that show a high level of intellectual curiosity and functioning count for a ton. Some schools are looking for smart , creative kids with ideas for new businesses (Facebook?). 
High test scores and GPA might get an application a read - but it might be a short read before it’s tossed into the incinerator. [/quote]

A) it's not hogwash.  Go to college confidential and learn. High school GPA and test scores are the first cull.
B) If any valedictorians are being rejected it's because many SLACS and LACs practice yield protection (look it up), especially now that students are applying to 10+ institutions.  Nine of those won't get a "yield" from the applicant, so it's common if a school thinks a student is using the school as a safety to not admit them because they know they won't show up (yield).  This is particularly true of highly sought after URMs.
C) No, teacher recommendations and ECs aren't useful until you get past the first hurdle.  Almost every campus hires outside temporary readers to do the first cull on the applications. They take each one and summarize the GPA (and where that student stands in that student's high school class, which can be done because each school submits a senior class/GPA profile to institutions every year) and test scores.  If those are sufficiently high, then whether or not the child is a legacy, URM, athlete, plays the vibraphone, or is a "development case" (parents might donate big bucks) are also indicated.  The readers also read the essays and grade them.
D) The average application gets a TOTAL six minute read, including the contractor readers and then the actual admissions officers[/quote]

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