I couldn't agree more. Excellent summary! Our "wide net" last year included some Noble schools -- very impressive. My daughter did not get in to any that made geographic sense for us, but the ones that did were high on our list of possibities for her. They offer phenomenal opportunities for their students and college admissions recruiters definitely have the Nobles on their radar.

I also agree with exploring options (the origin of my user name) for your child. As long as we had the privilege (or headache?) of choice of high schools, our approach last year was to try to maximize the number of real choices from which to choose. My daughter was accepted at 12 programs or schools (plus a neighborhood option, of course) last year, which included schools from all categories Family Friend has listed. Once we knew her "real" options, the list narrowed quickly for her. It was not stress-free and it was a lot of work, but there was no heartbreak or angst about any one school. Keep an open mind and judge the schools for yourself as much as possible. Not everyone agrees on what a "good" school is, and you are the best judge of the best school for your child.