Why do Ivys reject perfect candidates?

@BatesParents2019 well most of the topics you chose as examples are cliche. Everywhere I go people tell me to write about how I overcame a hardship. I just think itd be annoying for AdComs to read essay after essay about how you sucked it up after failing 4 times.
Then about the poet. What would a romantic poet have to do with the modern era? I do see your last point, you could write about Aristotle’s philosophy and science. (Even though all his “science” was proven wrong) lol