My point is that students that are involved in a lot of activities are not the only ones who gain admittance to elite schools (while I am sure it doesn't hurt, as long as the activities are somewhat focused). It is ok if a student only does a couple of things as long as they do them well (along with great grades and high test scores). At both of the Ivey schools that I interviewed with (with alum's) I think the face to face was the most important factor. Once they narrow down the crowd it is really a matter of how much they like you, which is pretty much like everything else in life (at least in humanities and business). I would strongly suggest that students find and attend local events for more competitive schools they are interested in.