Your school guidance counselor will be asked to provide a school profile to give admissions a solid idea what your school offers, how competitive the class rank is and how challenging the curriculum is. They've been down this road before and have a good handle on weighing these differences. That said, they are kind of closed about the process so don't expect a powerpoint explaining how it works. Take on the challenges, get the best grades you can and make them say no. You can only control your end of things, so buckle up and focus on the task at hand. Eyes in the boat is a phrase that may come up a time or two. Good luck.