<p>Surely there is more to getting into these top schools, @nuey2007, than a 2200 and an excellent essay when the student has a 3.4 and ordinary ECs for the ivies. Like a hook.</p>
<p>The 3.4 is reflective of something, and cannot so easily be dismissed. The 3.4 says more than that the student took rigorous courses. It says that he is weak in some areas. The AOs would discover those weaknesses in math or writing or, as seems likely, reading, and find it very hard to get past those weaknesses when there are so many other candidates with less weakness and an excellent essay. If the one essay is excellent and the others are mediocre, the question of who wrote the excellent essay arises.</p>
<p>The 2200 is the average of all the students who were accepted, including the hooks and legacies with 1900s, early decision. The non-hook/non-ED students probably had much higher SATs.</p>
<p>I would not encourage this student to apply to ivies or near-ivies such as appear on your list. The GPA is too much of a weakness. </p>