<p>In Westchester County (that’s what you are talking about Odyssey right?) indeed two of the listed schools are not considered great schools at all. However, it may well be that they are serving minorities better than most of the supposedly better schools. They do deserve commendations for that, but I doubt their applicants will get too many brownie points for being on the list.</p>
<p>It does seem to be true that colleges get to know a school. For example, our school has a much better acceptance rate for Harvard than Yale, Princeton or MIT. And Stanford has only accepted two students in the last six years who were both URMs, and also either legacies, politically connected or athletes.</p>