<p>
there, you have said it yourself.</p>
<p>Let me ask you this hypothetical: If your current school prepares you so well that you will enter college with a preparation advantage over 90% of your fellow collegians, but your class rank causes you to get into USNWR school rank #18 instead of #8, would it be worth it?</p>
<p>Now, assume the second part of that HYPO is incorrect. Assume the tougher school with more competition for class rank, and more rigorous preparation, is accounted for by elite college admissions. This I believe is the correcty scenario.</p>
<p>You are in a win/win. You are receiving superior college preparation, and it will be noted and adjusted for in elite college admissions.</p>
<p>I will note that I believe the first HYPO is the situation for kids at elite high schools who find themselves in the bottom quartile of the class. Whether the bottom quartile kid at a competitive, elite HS has made the right choice is more of a matter of debate.</p>