That's an interesting suggestion. I think some college admission offices do that. I've heard MIT describe one admission factor it looks for: students challenging themselves with HARD classes in high school, which correlates better with success in upper division courses in MIT than does having a perfect high school grade point average.

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-...

Another thing MIT looks for is baby-sitting experience. (I'm not making this up.)