What are the different weights placed on criteria (grades, activities, test scores, etc.)?
Although everything really depends on the school to which you are applying, most schools won’t give you specifics. For the most part, schools will look at grades and test scores before looking at anything else. However, grades aren’t examined under a “good/bad” context; admissions boards will take into account the difficulty of the courses you’ve taken. You’ve probably heard this a million times, but it’s true: a B in AP Calculus will probably count for more than an A in Algebra II. (Don’t be too worried if your school doesn’t offer many AP courses they’ll take that into account. Just take as challenging a course load as you can.) Test scores are very important, as well. As for activities, colleges usually look for quality above quantity. For instance, someone who participates in a few activities for many years, with leadership positions and true dedication, will impress them more than someone who unconvincingly, half-heartedly participates in everything. (Of course, that doesn’t mean
