Though high-scoring students might be similarly qualified, proud top-tier universities will lean toward students who put them as their first choice. They might also be easier on borderline students for whom they were first choice. This sometimes means that another student with the same score will end up at a second-tier school.
由於好大學總是自視甚高，這對分數考得高的學生也許沒有差別，但若有兩位考生的分數相同，或者接近最低錄取標準，「一本」大學常會優先錄取將自己學校列為第一志願者，可能因此造成同分者落入二本大學的不幸命運。