Is there grade inflation at your child's high school?

[Mwfan1921]

@Aimlesscat1

I generally agree with the crux of what you are saying but the reverse is also true in that a kid from a well resourced area who performs slightly below their peers but objectively far better than most should not be penalized because of their zip code.

They are penalized in public college systems that auto admit the top X% of students from each HS or have preference for in-state students or at those schools (public or private) where class rank is important. Schools have to pick their mission and processes, none are perfect, not many admit ‘only the best and brightest’. Arguably (because no one agrees on everything lol) MIT and CalTech only admit the best and brightest, but after that, not so much.