<p>Given reasonable stats (and those depend on your high school); I think the single most important factor could be intellectual curiosity. Surveys of students show that as being an unusual feature of Carls. Kids go to some colleges to prepare for a career, or have new experiences, or play sports. Carls love learning about stuff and talking about it.</p>
<p>For the OP, if very few people you know have 31, then you’re probably not at a high school that tends to send lots of kids to top LACs and Ivies. Being a stand-out at your school will be a big help. Scores are, to some extent, relative and if a 31 and 4.0 puts you at the top of your class, colleges like Carleton will recognize that as a significant achievement.<br>
Good luck - and have fun this summer.</p>