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<p>That is mainly the case with super-selective schools which can fill their freshman classes many times over with “near maximum GPA and test score” applicants. So they “need” to find something else to distinguish between the large number of such applicants.</p>
<p>A typical moderately selective state university probably admits by GPA (and/or rank) and test score formula, or close to it.</p>
<p>As far as how ECs are considered, that is usually subject to an opaque holistic process that may not be especially consistent from one year to the next (or even for applications read first or last).</p>