<p>I was wondering which would up the chances of being accepted in colleges- going to a top high school in your state and receiving good grades but not even close to the top of your class or going to a below-average high school but being top of your class. Or do things like this not matter?</p>
<p>I was wondering this because my family will be moving sometime between February and August 2010 and while looking into school districts we found that the best public schools in the state were very competitive and probably just a bit too challenged for me, but I still don't know if I should just try or go to an average school that I'll most likely do better in.
I'm hoping to get into NYU, by the way.</p>
<p>I’ve been told that it does not matter but in the chance forums i have been led to believe otherwise. </p>
<p>if you go to a top high school in the state, and you have good grades, your rank is pardoned to an extent. However, if you go to a below-average high school, then your rank MUST be at the top of your class assuming you’re applying to tippy top colleges. </p>
<p>But lets say you have two applicants that do good in their respective high schools, one being top in the state and the other being sub-par. The top high school will win.</p>
<p>Judging by top public schools + top private schools statistics in comparison to the average high school I would safely assume that: yes, the context, prestige, and rigor of your high school is well-factored into your application. </p>
<p>However, if your GPA is say in the B+/A- range but you attended a school like Stuy., I’m sure a school like NYU will likely overlook that aspect of your academic profile as long as you took the hardest course offerings (Nearly all AP’s and Honors) and your SAT was in the 2100+ range.</p>
<p>At an average unrecognized public school however, it would probably be expected that you be in the top decile of your class if you were to apply.</p>