I am fascinated by how little some people understand elite college admissions. A 97.3% GPA simply isn’t good enough. That’s frustrating to hear but it is reality. The students at these schools are exceptional. When I taught at Yale it blew my mind.
With a 3% admissions rate, most people, who are mostly exceptional, will not be accepted. And then of course there are the legacies and the ultra wealthy. None of it is fair but it isn’t a conspiracy either.