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I actually went to two high schools. I did freshman and sophomore year at Collar County High, which was very mixed-income, and where I was the undisputed #1 in the class for the two years I was there. I did junior and senior year at Wealthy Suburban High, about forty minutes away.
There was a vast, vast difference between the two schools. At CCH, probably only about half the class, if that, was college-bound. I remember students in the top 10 going to Northwestern, Wash U., etc., but it was still considered pretty awesome if you were headed to Illinois or Depaul, and I don't remember anyone even applying to the ivies.
At WSH, everyone was applying to the ivies, and they were doing so early admission, which I'd never heard of before. I think the stat was something like 98% went on to education after high school. Two kids from my graduating class went to Harvard, probably a dozen or more went to Northwestern, and people had an absolute aversion to going to Illinois. I had friends ask me not to apply to certain places because it would hurt their chances.
So, I think the craziness has a lot to do with being from affluent area. Not only is it much harder to stand out from your peers, but there is far, far, far more social pressure. I'm sure the internet compounds that, which we didn't have in my day, and need-blind admissions is causing it to spread to less wealthy areas, as well.
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