Your high school grades are the #1 factor in the college admission decision.
Other factors count, but the body of work you develop in high school is what matters most—as it should.
Colleges do not choose students by the numbers only—they don’t simply take the students with the highest grades and test scores. Colleges use many other factors to add depth to the numbers, and to compare applicants with each other to build a class that fits the college’s mission. Students who meet or exceed the threshold for admission are, at selective colleges, evaluated based on all of the attributes they bring to campus, including special talents, academic interests, and personal characteristics. Here’s a breakdown of what colleges take into account:
Source: National Association for College Admission Counseling
