In the US, the smarter students don't generally waste their time with these programming competitions. Grades, research, and extra credit would matter more towa

In the US, the smarter students don't generally waste their time with these programming competitions. Grades, research, and extra credit would matter more towards a student's academic success. These contests generally appeal more to "hobbyists" or those who have nothing better to do with their time, and so you get biased results.