All three of my kids received the same thing.
Now the questions are:
Have you done anything on an international level to merit attention (Malala?)
Have your parents donated a wing or a medical center to Harvard?
Are you a recruited athlete (Olympic level)?
Are you an underrepresented minority student who has created or implemented something on a national level?
Seats are very limited at these elite colleges, with most of the seats already taken by the above.
How many times have you taken the SAT’s? It does make a difference.
My eldest got into Hopkins and they were very interested in the biomedical HS coursework that paired her with a diabetic study and researcher. She was interviewed by Harvard, twice. Final round, she didn’t make the cut, but was very close (according to her counselor).
Apply to some UC’s and some safeties.