<p>Obviously you can make it into a "game" or but I really do not think that is necessary or that it even really has a major impact on the outcome. First of all the ADComs are not stupid and they can smell a hype. Also we don't know if stanmaster22 would not have gotten in if he did not try to max the system. Given the schools he got into, he must have had very strong credentials and likely would kave gotten into most if not all of them anyway. My S is going to Brandeis in the fall and his stats were in fact mid-range for the accepted students there. He simply did a very straight-forward application, wrote what I felt was an interesting personable essay and got letters of rec from obvious sources who knew him and would write a decent letter. One letter was actually from a teacher who who may have not written the strongest possible letter. He had strong EC's and got into several schools including URoch, Tulane. But it does make sense to try to put your best foot forward so getting appropriately strong recs and writting a strong, unique essay will only help your chances.</p>