<p>GPA: either recalculated (common for state universities including UC which has a specific formula*) or holistic look at transcript (“almost all A grades, most rigorous courses”)</p>
<p>Rank: very important to some schools, not considered at UC. The super-selective schools that use rank heavily are said to be unimpressed by top 10% or top 25% (see rank thread linked above).</p>
<p>Cost: keep some low cost (low list price and/or big guaranteed merit for stats) schools on your application list, in case your parents overestimated their ability to pay for the more expensive schools. Run some net price calculators with them at some college web sites to check whether they find the numbers acceptable or shocking. You don’t want to be surprised in April that your parents are unable or unwilling to pay for any of the schools you are admitted to.</p>
<p>*10th and 11th grade course grades in a-g requirement courses, +1 for up to 8 semesters’ worth of honors/AP courses.</p>