<p>If a student has below average grades for a heavily selective school but has extensive extracurricular activities and a strong passionate personal essay, is it likely that the student will be selected.</p>
<p>No…</p>
<p>not even a possibility?</p>
<p>you still need good grades and good sat (does not need to be perfect gpa and sat).</p>
<p>Anything is possible, you asked if it was likely.</p>
<p>If you’re talking about the schools most here are, schools that take under 20%, your EC would have to be truly world class to get a second look without above average stats. This is because almost half the class has a genuine hook at these schools, so the below average are recruited athletes, URMs, legaciess aand Emma Watson (now that’s a world class EC). These schools are rejecting most with well above average stats and fine ECs.</p>
<p>At less selective schools, everything is more possible.</p>
<p>if it’s not the case, I have no idea how I got into UChicago on a 3.5 GPA</p>
<p>A 3.5 is pretty decent, and if not that, apparently you could be a sneaky bellow average recruited footballer for all we know. 
And I dunno about world class ECs. Thats a bit harsh I’d say. Good ones can get you far. Bellow average at one school might be above average at another. How you present yourself is very important to a lot of schools; some are more interested in your personality and ECs than others, so I’d do some research if I were you. Don’t get discouraged.</p>
<p>It depends how far below average you are. Colleges may be willing to be more lenient if you’re interested in a rare subject or have accomplished something extraordinary in a particular area, but your stats still can’t be particularly low, and you certainly won’t be admitted on charm alone.</p>