<p>My D was in much the same boat, although she never felt she was at a disadvantage & neither did we, her parents. She attended a small rural high school where the top ten in each class typically went to in-state “good” schools. However, if she had attended a larger, more competitive high school, I doubt that she would have been class president, captain of a varsity sport as a Soph., had major parts in theater productions, etc. This definitely allowed her to stand out more, build confidence and develop into a leader. She was accepted at her college of choice (Cornell) which many thought was a real reach.</p>