<p>Periwinkle, you have brought up an interesting topic though. We say schools are trying to put together a well balanced class, and we know the top schools are very academically challenging. To me, it means that each student doesn’t have to be always “all around excellent” - a student with leadership or a star athelete doesn’t have to be an academic star while the academically excellent “outlier” doesn’t have to be an exceptional leader or athelete. Even when admission to top schools is as tough as it is now, it’s unrealistic to ask a full pay academically exceptional student to be also a great leader or a star athelete, etc. to just get in the door. That’s why I think OP’s case was an exception instead of the norm, and why I suggested him find out the “real reason” for the 4 wl’s and 2 rejections.</p>