UPenn, Northwestern, Stanford, and USC....?

I don't think GPA is a huge factor in terms of colleges taking you under their wing, but the ideal GPA is a 4.0+. In order to stand out: Think outside of the box. Do not live a systematic life like others. The best way to think of this is to simply "follow your pion". The community service naturally flows into the picture, that is with the right idea in mind.