GPA represents your effort and your learning/prep for their college classes. All top schools will want to see you did well in hs.
They don’t just look at test scores or GPA. They look at the freaking transcript. It matters what brought down GPA. Lower grades in cores, especially those related to your possible major, not good. No matter what the CDS says.
You’ve got to learn what matters to your targets. Not just ask how stats play. Be savvy.