How much do upwards trends actually matter?

Applying to College
1

I am a male going on to be a senior and I have a very noticeable upward trend.

GPA is a 4.0 scale with a .5 boost for APs or Honors
Freshman year: 3.5ish
Sophomore: 4
Junior: 4.3 (max)
Senior: Projected 4.5

Will this upward trend really make a difference to Ivy leagues that have thousands of applicants with straight As?

Any feedback is appreciated.

2

No, having straight A’s is better than having an upward trend, but upward trend is the next best thing.