<p>
</p>
<p>It could be viewed as a shame, but that really depends on what you think your job is an adcom, or, more specifically, what one thinks is the fundamental purpose of colleges. </p>
<p>If you think colleges are more social institutions than educational institutions, then your approach makes sense. </p>
<p>However, if one thinks they are more educational institutions than social institutions, then the elite colleges will go to where they know they can depend on getting the best students to maintain their pedigree as the tops. This is exactly what they are doing.</p>
<p>Obviously, colleges are both educational and social institutions, but the top schools really are going to take but so much risk in accepting students who may not make it through successfully. In contrast, the known cohorts from the high schools they know produce the best future college graduates are safer to accept re less risky of not doing as well.</p>
<p>There is the business side as well. The top schools are in the top SES areas with the top earners. which means a steady supply of guaranteed future donors. It would be risky to take but so much less affluent or demographically unknown applicants because of the risk of donors donating fewer dollars per capita. </p>