I wonder why would they even wade through 2x-4x the applications for two spots year after year?. All the meanwhile it is more often the case that the number of phd dropouts is increasing at the same rate. I would rather have them pausing the applications just to open up spots to create a steady cohort.
It is tough to tell, we all have our strengths and weaknesses. The chance that someone with a 4.0 can get rejected is too high. So, anything can make you look good or bad.