<p>Looking back at past threads of acceptance/rejection and stats, it got me kind of worried because there were numerous people with impeccable scores and ECs who were flat out rejected. There were some here and there with not exactly stellar stats who were accepted, but how often does that happen?
To what extent would say, a GPA of 3.69, hurt one's application? </p>
<p>Also, how much does possessing/demonstrating great interest in the school help an application and/or compensate for pretty lackluster stats?</p>
<p>I think that one of the things that people forget about is the power of a good essay at schools that give the essay weight. For example, if you don't really care about getting into a school, the half-hearted essay you might write will could get you rejected-- I've heard about this happening many times. On the other hand, if you throw the weight of your being into an essay for a school where you really want to go, that might be clear to the admissions people. Make sure that you show your essay to people who you trust to give you honest feedback. You want your essay to say a lot about who you are and why you are a good fit for a school. Don't focus on what you think the school might want-- it's hard to guess. Showing them who you are? That's do-able and at the very least, it will help you think through whether it's the right place for you.</p>