Hmm.. sounds like you're applying for early admission? May I ask which school? 
In my experience, grades matter just as much, if not more, in college. It's hard to do much with just a bachelor's degree.
In applying to college, grades matter, but admissions offices get saturated to the point where they really don't matter, as long as you're in range. Everyone looks the same after a while; varsity sports, debate club, 10+ years of some musical instrument, ~4.0gpa, 3 AP tests, etc. What's important is to do something to distinguish yourself from the rest of the crowd. For example, if you're really into fish keeping, why not help come up with a class curriculum based on keeping fish that crosses multiple disciplines? You can cover aspects of chemistry, biology, math, and ecology all in one project. Work with teachers to do something like that. Or volunteer at a convalescent home and set up small fish tanks for their residents, based on studies that say mental function and overall happiness is improved with having pets.
Passion speaks volumes, and cranking out good grades doesn't necessarily show much of that. Schools would rather have a 3.6gpa student with an interesting story and experience to share than the regular run-of-the-mill 4.0. I've friends who conducted interviews for Brown, Yale, and MIT, and that is the general consensus of what schools look for... And that is what most of what my classmates were like in college (Brown U.).
Best of luck!
In my experience, grades matter just as much, if not more, in college. It's hard to do much with just a bachelor's degree.
In applying to college, grades matter, but admissions offices get saturated to the point where they really don't matter, as long as you're in range. Everyone looks the same after a while; varsity sports, debate club, 10+ years of some musical instrument, ~4.0gpa, 3 AP tests, etc. What's important is to do something to distinguish yourself from the rest of the crowd. For example, if you're really into fish keeping, why not help come up with a class curriculum based on keeping fish that crosses multiple disciplines? You can cover aspects of chemistry, biology, math, and ecology all in one project. Work with teachers to do something like that. Or volunteer at a convalescent home and set up small fish tanks for their residents, based on studies that say mental function and overall happiness is improved with having pets.
Passion speaks volumes, and cranking out good grades doesn't necessarily show much of that. Schools would rather have a 3.6gpa student with an interesting story and experience to share than the regular run-of-the-mill 4.0. I've friends who conducted interviews for Brown, Yale, and MIT, and that is the general consensus of what schools look for... And that is what most of what my classmates were like in college (Brown U.).
Best of luck!
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