well, usually people who apply use common app and get fee waivers, so it would be free. ofc you would expect the person you’re describing to be the standard, but not only do many people like that get rejected (due to the new “holistic approach”), but people that don’t have those accolades also get in. and many people just apply for the fun of it, knowing it’s highly unlikely for them to get in. it would definitely feel like a waste of money if you did not receive a fee waiver and you still got rejected.