<p>“It is actually quite scary that someone who interviews for a top college holds this kind of an opinion.”</p>
<p>The math competitions that I’m talking is Mu Alpha Theta, and most of the public high schools in my city produce students who have placed nationally in those competitions. It doesn’t seem that hard to place especially when one can get a national award for compiling a good scrapbook that reflects one’s team.</p>
<p>I also live in a college town, and many students have parents who are scientists and mathematicians, so the students have had a lot of parental help in being strong in math.</p>
<p>It’s typical for students whom I have interviewed to at least have gotten some kind of statewide honors in MAO. Consequently, such students don’t stand out where I live.</p>