Josh Zalasky should be the kind of college applicant with little to worry about.
The high school senior is taking three Advanced Placement courses. Outside the classroom, he’s involved in mock trial, two Jewish youth groups and has a job with a restaurant chain. He’s a National Merit semifinalist and scored in the top 3 percent of all students who take the ACT.
But in the increasingly frenzied world of college admissions, even Zalasky is nervous about his prospects. He doubts he’ll get in to the University of Wisconsin, a top choice. The reason: his grades.