<p>But, among top performing kids in the west,(from super hs or preps,) the Ivies are on the list and there are droves of apps. Those kids might prefer Stanford, true. Or whatever rings in their neck of the woods. Fewer apps from kids at lesser hs or in more dire financial circumstances. And a much lower number of apps from rural states- WY, ND, etc. </p>
<p>When people get focused on stats, they miss this: the CA asks for more. Most 17 year olds stumble on the app. They misunderstand that being on top of the heap in hs (remember, it’s high school) is not the same as being a fit for a top college. They define themselves by very high school parameters- I am head of these clubs, my English teacher praises my writing, I participated in a walkathon, we sold pencils to raise money for a cause. We love our kids for these things, but adcoms are putting together a college class. It’s not a lateral move.</p>