She was not in a very good mood. He has good grades. He has SATs to die for. But he won't get in. Nobody gets in anymore.
Some kids do, of course.
To say nothing of their resumes loaded with extracurricular feats. Obviously, these kids are not typical. Nowadays, kids are applying to Harvard who have taken their SATs in fifth grade. The bar has been raised so high that it's almost impossible for a lot of deserving kids to clear. A generation ago, a kid with good grades, motivation, and a love for learning could at least dare to dream about studying at a top-tier college, even the Ivy League.