<p>“I think the best the school can do is accept kids with a track record of doing well in school”</p>
<p>I am not so sure that is even an indicator of who will do well in college academics. College courses are different not only in content but in educational approach, structure of the day, etc than a high school course. Of course fields of study are different, presence of parents is not there, degree of student choice of what they will take is different, etc. </p>
<p>And of course many colleges are interested in A. What will the student add to the student body generally and B. How will they succeed after college. </p>
<p>Leaving aside all the other factors that go into GPA, from high school difficultly levels, luck of what teachers one gets, ease or difficulty of getting accommodations for LD kids, not to mention use of tutors, etc. </p>
<p>I am not saying GPA should not be a factor. But it certainly makes sense to me that colleges would like to use methods other than GPA. Whether “harder” factors like SAT/ACT, or softer ones like essays and interviews. BTW if a college is concerned that an essay is being ghost written, there would seem to be lots of possible synergy between the essay and the interview. One could ask follow up questions about the essay, I suppose. </p>
<p>I will say my DD’s essay was her own (she hardly even let us proof it). I certainly hope that came through, as it was a great essay.</p>