Significance of different aspects of application?

[bouders]

@stalecookies

BUT if you are an applicant from a large public middle school (say, > 400 per grade), it’s likely that no matter how off the charts fantastic a student you are, unless you are a teacher’s kid or Mom’s active in the PTO, you are an unknown to the teachers and administration.

If the student is participating in their classes, they will be known to the teachers. If the student isn’t participating in their classes, the teacher can’t write about that.

Administration is generally not writing the reference letters. If there is one required from administration, they’ll get the info from the student’s teachers.

I don’t see what being a teacher’s kid or mom being active in the PTA has to do with teachers knowing a student’s performance in class. I think you’re conflating parents being known to teachers and administration with students being known to teachers and administration.