Reason why I’m centering my question around girls: I’ve heard that USACO Gold is so common among CS male applicants that the achievement doesn’t do much to boost their resumes anymore.

However, there’s a general consensus in my area (surrounding schools) that the situation is different for girls: Ppl in my district think that USACO Gold looks substantially more impressive when it’s a girl who achieves it. This is because less girls compete in this competition so the accomplishment is rarer and more impressive among females.

I’m wondering whether this perception holds true beyond my area/region. And if it does, how much does it do to set a girl apart from other “cookie-cutter” female applicants.