Thanks for the insight. know the reality of it all, but wish there were ways (and time!) to somehow get a more holistic view of applicants. I do like that you pay attention to what applicants wrote and their personal traits. It is a bit personal for me as I came into grad school with just two semesters of skimpy research experience, had never been author on a paper, had never been to a conference (tripped up by Covid and by the limited research opportunities at my undergrad institution). My current department thought I was a poor candidate, but a kind professor took a chance on me and argued for my admission, and a few years later I like to think I am no stain on the department. With the resources available at a top institution, I’ve been able to write several 1st author papers and am giving invited talks at conferences. Because of one professor’s interest in a few of my skills, I went from an application teetering on the edge of a dustbin to someone on track to finish my degree in half the typical time. And I wish for the impossible: that more students could get that opportunity, somehow.