What makes a strong candidate???

A strong candidate is a person who is well rounded. This means you should do well in both schools and join social groups or other types of clubs to understand your own passions. Many people I have spoke with claim, for example, that Boy Scouts can't get them into a college. The point isn't that Boy Scouts can't get you into college, but that you must do more then Boy Scouts alone and maintain a good GPA and SAT score to also be considered. So remember that when you go to apply, do not just focus on one tool to help you into college. Utilize your whole arsenal because you need whatever it takes to get in.