<p>S1’s city public HS class had 44 Vals. If one wasn’t a Val, one wasn’t in the top 10% of the class. Of the 4 (out of 8 who applied) kids accepted by H, two were not Vals nor in the top 10%, nor were any of the four URMs, legacies, national prize winners, or athletes (9/16 at Stanford, similar breakdown; 190 out or 405 at top 50 schools, 90% + attended college). None with perfect SAT scores. Last year the number H accepted was 5/8, so it wasn’t a fluke. I don’t think anyone really knows what governs admission. There may be certain variables that can predict one won’t be accepted, but at some point it is just up to the admissions folks’ feelings at the moment, which are difficult to quantify. The good news is the kids aren’t stressed about college, S2 now attends; they know they will go someplace they will like.</p>