<p>okay, a lot of people on here when posting their stats say they are so and so rank or have EC's under a "highly reputable" public school in blah-blah state.</p>
<p>does this distinction of a high school being "reputable" matter at all in applying?? it seems really counterintuitive that where you are districted should have anything to do with your chances. i go to a pretty mediocre school where i am near the top of the class, but it's no great shakes and barely ANYONE applies to "good" schools. (for example, ivy-league wise, out of a class of 550 last year we had 1 columbia and that was it.) </p>
<p>we have a firm identity as a Rutgers/state school feeder (NJ, obviously).</p>
<p>so what's the deal? is my non-reputable HS going to ruin my chances for applying to selective LAC's that no one in my school applies to?</p>
<p>I think that if you attended a top/very competitive high school, then the colleges would take that into consideration when looking at your class rank (I know there are a few schools where top 20% is considered very good, due to the high calibre students). On the other hand, they might even expect more of you if you're attending a top school (top high school usually equates with more opportunities)</p>
<p>^^^^ This is true. Most people here, you notice, are taking like 10 APs in their junior and senior years, and a few before that. I got away with only taking 5 because that's what was available. I also didn't take any honors courses (again, none offered) or have any fancy electives.</p>
<p>What we heard over and over from admissions people was that it was important to have taken the most rigorous curriculum that was available to you.</p>
<p>my old school was 15 in the country good and we still had kids who didnt go to good schools i mean i know some of the reasons y! b/c we have a less income area and a higher income(My area where we have the largest houses in the area-no finaid for us!) so some kids couldnt afford it but my area sent some kids to some really good schools</p>
<p>I think that applicants that attend 'less than reputable' schools have a huge advantage over we students who attend 'good' public schools. 1) affirmative action is on your side- diversity diversity diversity, right?! and 2) what's important is how you made use of your opportunities. therefore, you can get away with doing less and having an easier load. eg. a friend of mine from yardley took 1 ap (only one offered) and is now in harvard.</p>
<p>btw, our school has a lot of kids going to rutgers too - mostly as safeties though</p>
<p>Yeah, my roommate and I were comparing our high schools, and while she basically worked constantly to succeed at her prestigious private, I coasted at my low-end public and we're both at the same place. I don't think either one of us doesn't belong here (obviously, since I would be the one who wouldn't) but it is a sharp contrast in how hard we had to work.</p>