<p>@orbdas: truth</p>
<p>My parents were going to enroll me in Harvard Westlake, but I declined… mainly out of spite because some kid from HW had beaten me in a math contest in like 7th grade XD Last year, 4 years later, I won at a local math contest over them >:D</p>
<p>…anyway, back to the topic: I think the area you live in and the school you attend definitely affect how admissions offices look at your application.</p>