| I'd say that's a pretty confident list of school's he's got going on. His pole-vaulting is dedicated, but his accomplishments in it aren't exceptional. For schools like that list, fourth in the state and *almost* beating a school record don't quite reach the astronomical level of EC's those schools are looking for. His All-State Orchestra's pretty big, though.
I guess I'd say that while he doesn't have poor chances at those schools, he doesn't have anything that particularly stands out, no big life passion. A lot of the awards you mentioned are fairly arbitrary, as well--NHS, the Book Award, leadership camp, pride award.... Most just prove he's a decent student. His rank, while top 5%, also just proves that his academic ability is decent. While schools will take into account the competitiveness of your school and will be willing to dig a bit deeper into class rank, remember that they'll still be looking for the *top* students. I guess you'll just have to look at your school's record of sending kids to such schools--is is rank competitive based on past results? What about his EC's?
Ultimately, though, it isn't your concern. Yes, this guy's parents have a kid to be proud of. But I bet that your parents are just as proud of you. The college admissions process isn't a competition; it's about finding a place you can be happy and successful for the next four years. This guy may get into some of those schools, and there's a 9 in 10 chance he won't. That doesn't change your accomplishments or make them less valuable. If he's your friend, support him through this process but expect him to do the same. If he's just a neighbor your parents envy, there's no need to pay any more attention to him and his college successes. |