I agree but I don't understand how your statement relates to what you quoted. You don't have to be well-connected to plan your high school years with getting i

I agree but I don't understand how your statement relates to what you quoted. You don't have to be well-connected to plan your high school years with getting into a highly selective college in mind. Your family probably does have to be not poor, which is more common than being well-connected. If you're not poor, you're more likely to have good extracurricular opportunities available and to have time for them and for studying (vs. having to work an unimpressive job to help support the family and/or spend long hours commuting from home to a better high school).