<p>My question is: are students with lower than average stats for top schools compared to other students with stats that are a bit lower? </p>
<p>For example, will adcoms take the applications of those students with similar stats and test scores and compare their ECs, essays and recs to make a decision?</p>
<p>What I have learned from several books and some counselors is that they compare you to people similar to you. Of course they all have a “holistic” process (liberal arts colleges). </p>
<p>I learned that if you are a legacy, you get a “special stamp” and you are compared to other legacies, minorities to minorities in the same ethnic group, etc.</p>
<p>This does vary from school to school but I am sure the legacy and minority are certain. Otherwise you are just compared in general.</p>
<p>They don’t compare side by side though. It would just be like, “we are looking for students in the 3.5 area” and then they go from there.</p>
<p>Ah! I am sleep deprived hence my mixed answer lol. If you want me to explain further please do let me know.</p>
<p>All in all, you are reviewed individually based on the criteria others have set. Your essays, interview, and interest can show why you might be lacking something student A had.</p>
<p>Thanks for your answer! Good to know :] Haha, I am very sleep-deprived as well.</p>
<p>Other thoughts and opinions are welcome!</p>
<p>Kids with lower than average stats rarely get into top schools without a hook. They do not put the lower stats kids in a pile and decide to take 10% of them.</p>
<p>They review your application and to still be considered without the stats they want they need to see something exceptional to keep you in the running.</p>
<p>I doubt they’re that organized. I mean, legacies and URMs get an additional glance, but kids of similar stats, interests and such? Nah…</p>
<p>Oh, okay. Thanks for your responses!</p>
<p>I can’t speak for all colleges but when I went to the MIT/Brown/Yale conference in my area, MIT clearly came out and said “We do not compare you to other students, we take a holistic approach and consider your context”.</p>
<p>I agree with Redroses. If you are in the bottom 25% of the applicants you are going to have something really outstanding on your application or something that the school really wants to get you in.</p>
<p>^ Thank you, but that wasn’t my question 
</p>
<p>I was just wondering whether or not students with UW GPAs in the A- range are compared to others with similar grades.</p>
<p>No, they don’t line up “similar” applications. People are far too complex to compare like that. Like therazor said, adcoms take your application against the context of your background, so different expectations are set for different people.*</p>
<p>*I mean this as in, the low-income, inner-city kid must live up to different expectations that the country club, horseback-riding girl from Greenwich. This doesn’t necessarily mean some people have higher standards, but rather, constant standards in the context of your background.</p>