My sister, who lives in Maryland, went to UNC. Her daughter was told that there are more qualified legacies that apply out-of-state than they can legally admit.
Her daughter (my niece) got in and graduated from UNC. She was at the top of her class in a Maryland high school and had a ton of activities.
If she had not been admitted, she was going through the back door to UNC (or NCSU) — go to a NC community college for two years and transfer.
My neighbor, a doctor is still in mourning her kid choose unc over notre dame. You would think her kid died. Older bro went to unc.
She was county fencing champ and other stuff. Hardly anyone goed to unc from our top public high school. Most of our kids go to private colleges.