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<blockquote> <p>if they have that special thing for school #1 than why didn't they get into school #2 because of that same special thing? <<</p> </blockquote>
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<p>That is the "luck" portion of the admissions process. "Special" is in the eye of the beholder (admissions committee)--what is not so special for one college may be seen as very special by another, depending on institutional needs that application season. How else to explain how the same student can get into H and not Y or P (for example) with basically the same application?</p>
<p>Of course, some specialness can be valued equally by all colleges--these students get in at all of their highly selective schools. But I see this a lot less than a student who will get into some, but not all, of his or her highly selective schools.</p>