While all that you say is true, I have heard feedback from parents that your peers and the parent volunteering at the school makes a lot of difference too. If my kid wants to form a group at his school for an olympiad or FLL (lego league), but does not have peers interested in the same or parents who are interested or knowledgeable to volunteer in those areas, then my son will be pulled down too as a result. Those are the kinds of things I am looking at. Considering that parent involvement is going to be there as a given, we are conflicted between 4s vs CV. More of the activities he is going to be involved in are closer to 4s. We prefer hotter weather vs coastal clouds all year and we are getting a better sqft, bigger backyard, his friends etc in 4s and hence slightly leaning towards that vs CV.