<p>Knew a student here in Montana that left to go back East to an elite Private High School. He applied to Penn (wharton) along with two of his friends with similar stats and test score who stayed in Montana at a public. He was rejected while one from Montana was accepted and the other was wait-listed.</p>
<p>In this case I think geography played a bigger role that an elite High School but it is just one case.</p>
<p>I strongly feel that my D's school was one of the reasons why D. was selected to be in a program that she is now at college. Something had to be catching admission's eye when everybody is valedictorians with very high scores and all other requirements. D's school is very well known in our state for being academically challenging with 100% of graduates attending 4 years colleges.</p>
<p>I think you can safely say any high school in Bellevue, WA or either high school in Lake Oswego, OR will be counted in your favor.</p>
<p>It can for given kids in given circumstances at given high schools and given colleges. This whole thing is a moving target with your kid part of the movement. So strategizing about which high school would give your kid an advantage at top schools is not a "by the rules and numbers" thing. Yeah, the numbers might say that a top prep school has the greatest % of acceptances from HPY, but what you do not know is who those kids are getting those acceptances. Many may be legacy, development, celebrity applicants, and if your kid is not in that category, his chances are not going to match those of such kids. Also your kid may not do so well grade wise at such a school whereas he may be a top student at your local public school. It depends so much on a bunch of factors.</p>