How to get into a good college?
Colleges consider a lot of different criteria to accept students. Grades from high school, GPA, class ranking, SAT scores are commonly considered. Being actively involved in extra curricular activities will always give you an edge over the rest.
Some universities expect you to write a personal essay saying why you want to take up the particular course, etc. The final step is usually an interview where one will be assessed to see if you are suitable for the course. Most of the colleges have a minimum threshold of marks, below which the applicants are refused admission straight away.