it also has to do with what the college/university is trying to accomplish on a national scale. when i was in school, our college was trying aggressively diversify the geography of the student body by looking out west. in my freshman year, the top three states of students coming in were massachusetts first, new york second, and california third. I knew competitive students from my area who didn't get in, where a roommate of mine from san diego was not the strongest applicant in the least. he did fine, but if he was from the north east, i don't think he would have gotten in.