Just a PSA with some info I found out today.
I am friends with a pscyh graduate student (Year 5 or so) at an R1 institution. I can guarantee that many of you are applying to this school. She told me that she (and some other students) are the first line of application readers. Now, I know that departments often have current students read applications and make recommendations. What I did not know is that the few applications they forward to the AdComm are the only ones that get read. So basically there is a high possibility that the AdComm never even gets to see your application at all. I asked her what they look for and weed out but she hasn't done it before so she's not sure. Possibly GPA/GRE and publications, so those hoping for a more "holistic" approach are basically screwed.
She did say that they pull certain applications at the request of professors. So if your advisors are well-connected make sure they tell the POIs at you schools to look out for your application! She was telling me that about half the students every year are picked through this method. Leaving the rest of us with an even smaller chance of being accepted. Fewer than 5 "unknown" students per year.
Maybe everyone knew this already, but I was really shocked. It's like the chances just keep getting slimmer for anyone who's not an absolute superstar of a student.