<p>baklava - </p>
<p>What part of the story is it that you think is missing? </p>
<p>My son applied at or near the deadline. </p>
<p>I can't imagine what you read would make you say there is more to the story .... what story?</p>
<p>He's in the same boat with about 4000 other people. He's a genius - but, he's NOT one of the kids that makes straight As and spends 40 hours a week volunteering his time to a worthy organization in addition to being class president and playing varsity football while holding down a part-time job. To his credit and his detriment, he also did not embellish, in the least, his ECs.</p>
<p>Outside of his genius and his great fondness for science and math - he's just a regular joe. He took the hardest classes offered at his school and he did above average (AP English, AP Calculus, Organic Chemistry, Molelucar Biology, AP Statistics, Physics and on and on and on). He's in the top 50% of his class, just. He did very well on the SATs. He had minimal interaction with activities at school, some interests outside of school, a little volunteering and a little side job.</p>
<p>I did not imply he was better than the other kids that are CAPed All I was saying is that he is a lot more prepared for college than the kids that are going to the easiest high schools and taking classes that are not challenging. At my daughters high school, if you take the minimum requirements (I believe that is Alg II and the combined physics and chemistry class - which I think they called physical science when I was in high school) for the standard graduation recommendation all at the honors level you could be in the top 10% and it would be an easy ride there. At my son's school, to even compete for top 10%, you have to have all As in all magnet and AP classes. He wasn't even close to competing with those kids, but those kids are not trying to go to UT either. They have bigger fish to fry.</p>