Relatedly I read the top colleges try to get students they know they'll never admit to apply, because the more that apply, the more they can reject and the more

Relatedly I read the top colleges try to get students they know they'll never admit to apply, because the more that apply, the more they can reject and the more selective they become. Selectivity is a status symbol, so you want as many as possible to apply so you can reject as many as possible.