Every college is different.
The larger the school, the less time admissions officers spend with your application, often, less than five minutes. Some large state colleges don't look past your GPA and test scores. Admissions for the other half of the class were based on grades, test scores, an essay, extracurricular activities and special circumstances. Small private colleges may take a closer look at your application, often passing it through several admissions officers. They may overlook weak GPAs and test scores if they see something special in you.