<p>The top colleges tend to have a good idea of the rigor at schools that frequenty send applicants, and can often deduce how demanding other schools are by looking at their statistical profiles, the applicant's standardized tests and class rank, etc.</p>
<p>All things being equal, I'd say the kid with the 2350 at an average or below average school would get a boost vs. another kid with the same score at a competitive magnet school.</p>