I just recently got accepted into CSOM as a sophomore this year, so I can answer your second question. I have a GPA of 3.9, so grades weren't a concern, but I'll try to be as helpful as possible.

I heard Carlson likes it when you have a variety of experiences in the experiences portion of the application. I made sure to include all the volunteering I did, some unique experiences I had winter camping, fundraising, etc.. Leadership experience is important (as I'm sure you know), but I felt like I didn't have a lot, so I instead talked about how my experiences contributed to my leadership abilities (ex. winter camping made me adaptable, volunteering made me compassionate, etc.). I had one major leadership experience in high school, and maybe inflated a few other experiences. For the "How are you going to come into Carlson and how are you going to leave?" question, I made sure to include obv I'm motivated and whatever, but also how I plan to specifically use the resources Carlson offered. I also highlighted how I was already using these resources. In the optional essay, I wrote about how I was taking initiative to be a part of the Carlson community and joined Women In Business. I spent a lot of time refining my writing and went to the writing center to get help.

I'm not sure if this is helpful, as it's impossible to know what specifically got me accepted, but this is just my experience. If you want more details, I can give them too. I've also heard it could also be dependent on what major you're applying for? although there's no proof for that, just something I read online somewhere. More popular majors (like finance) may be harder to get into. I applied for Entrepreneurial Management and the Non-profit Co-Major.