<p>I am new to the community and glad to find the parent forum.</p>
<p>I ask the same question that OP asks, and I am willing to do an experiment on my kids. Both attend public schools. Our public high is very good, consistently appear in the Top 100 HS in the US list. In general I like it, but it can be difficult in many aspects due to over enrollment. </p>
<p>My son has done EVERYTHING he can to be prepared for an elite college, perfect GPA, 14 APs (all 5s except the 6 he is taking now, which will test in May), nearly perfect SAT I & PSAT, 3 SAT IIs, summer internship at a research institute and 500+ community service hours, performing musician traveling and competing internationally) </p>
<p>My daughter, an 8th grader, wants to attend a BS in NE. She has similar credential as her brother academically, but not as talented in music. If she gets accepted, we probably will let her go. Then we can compare the her experience and result.</p>