Disadvantage of ranking

Most high schools rank their students by grade point average (or weighted grade point average), bestowing
the title of valedictorian upon the one who comes out on the very top. But in interesting article* in the
March 2014 issue of the Phi Delta Kappan, Thomas R. Guskey asks a simple question: Why?

Guskey believes that schools rank students to select talent. And he believes that the practice is at odds with
the purpose that (I think) most educators consider the main goal of their work: to develop talent. He claims
that:

Determining class rank does not help students achieve more or reach higher levels of proficiency. With the
possible exception of the top-ranked student, class rank does nothing to enhance students' sense of self-
worth, their confidence as learners, or their motivation for learning.

When it comes to selecting a valedictorian, he points out that using class rank as the sole determining factor
can result in intense competition among high-achieving students. It can also result in a gaming of the
school's grading system that has a number of consequences, including students avoiding classes in the arts
that can bring down their GPAs. Even in schools that name multiple valedictorians or the top percentage of
the graduating class in lieu of a single valedictorian, he points out that the result is the same -- "excellence
is defined not in terms of rigorous and challenging learning criteria. It is defined in terms of a student's
relative standing among classmates."

Do We Still Need It?

With the Common Core and other ambitious academic standards, we now operate under the assumption
that each student must develop the knowledge and skills necessary for success in postsecondary education
and the workforce. As Guskey says, "in standards-based education environments, teachers and students
unite in efforts to have everyone learn well." A class ranking system that emphasizes comparison to peers,
rather than mastery of content or skills, can undermine those efforts.

In addition, given we now educate students for jobs we know don't yet exist, we must question whether
class rank (especially when used to name a single valedictorian) selects for and recognizes the skills that
we know are most needed to thrive in career and life. Guskey cites a longitudinal study of valedictorians
which suggests it does not, finding that while most valedictorians were "successful, well-adjusted, and
psychologically healthy, they were seldom at the head of the class in their careers" -- that they "worked
hard and followed the rules, but rarely proposed innovations or explored unfamiliar areas."

Still, class rank has real consequences. While colleges and universities are often more interested in course
rigor than class rank in their applicant pool, there are instances in which class rank is quite important. For
example, the University of Texas at Austin provides automatic admission to students graduating in the top
X percent of their class (X varies annually based on the percent needed to fill 75 percent of available Texas
resident spaces). Tulane University offers Valedictorian Scholarships to entering Louisiana freshmen who
have been officially designated as valedictorian by their secondary school.

These institutions are certainly not alone in their reliance on high school class rank in admission and
scholarship decisions, and there are certainly benefits to such formulas, which have been shown to increase
access to a competitive college for students from low-performing (and often high-poverty) schools and (in
the case of automatic admission policies) increase diversity on a college campus.

What to Do About It
For individual schools and districts making decisions on how to recognize academic excellence, the
National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Board Position Statement on Class Rank,
GPA and Grading recommends that the context in which they operate (including state laws, college and
university admission requirements, community attitudes, and what best meets the needs of the students) be
taken into consideration.

Based on a number of guiding principles (including that schools hold high expectations and promote
academic excellence for each and every student, and that they encourage and recognize academic excellence
in a spirit of cooperation), NASSP's recommendations on class rank include that it:

Not carry with it an underlying assumption that academic success is a scarce commodity available only to
a select few students
Be cumulative. The rank should include all courses taken by the student and should not be limited to a
select few core courses. In addition, class rankings should include all students within a given class
Be calculated using a methodology that allows students to improve through persistence and hard work and
ensures that the success of one student not be at the expense of another student
NASSP also mentions that there are alternatives to reporting class rank, which include but are not limited
to:

Grade distribution of the class including the range and median grade point average
Estimated rank
Ranking of core courses only
Reporting of AP results
Guskey points out that some schools are adopting a Latin honor system similar to that of colleges and
universities, in which students meeting certain requirements can graduate cum laude, magna cum laude, or
summa cum laude, and that other schools name multiple valedictorians based on rigorous academic criteria.
Of course, as we consider how to best recognize academic achievement in the world in which we currently
live, we should also consider how to recognize other skills and traits we value and believe important to
students' future success.

Class rank definitions

CLASS RANK
LAST UPDATED: 08.29.13
The term class rank refers to the hierarchical ranking of students based on academic performance
or grade point average. Rankings may be expressed in numerical order (first, second, third, top ten,
etc.) or as percentiles (top ten percent, top twenty-five percent, etc.). Class rank is typically
determined at the end of middle school or high school, and it is used to determine academic honors
such as valedictorian (first in the class) and salutatorian (second in the class). While schools do not
typically make an entire set of rankings for a graduating class public, it is quite common for schools
to publicly announce and celebrate top-ranked students, particular those who end up in the top ten
or top-tenth percentile.
When investigating or reporting on class rank, it is important to ask questions about and determine
the precise methodology used to compile and calculate the rankings, since class-ranking systems may
vary from school to school.
Reform
Some educators view class rankings as an impediment to certain reforms. In these cases, class rank
may be viewed as an outmoded system that has persisted largely due to institutional and cultural
tradition, not because it provides genuine educational value. Reformers may argue that class ranking
is fundamentally inequitable or that it focuses students on academic competition rather than more
authentic, meaningful, or beneficial ways of learning. Some educators would prefer to see class rank
replaced with the Latin honors system of cum laude (with honors), magna cum laude (with high
honors) or summa cum laude (with highest honors), which has long been widely used in collegiate
institutions, but that has recently become more popular in secondary schools. The main argument
for Latin honors (or any similarly designed system) is that it can recognize the achievements of more
students, as well as a much broader spectrum of academic accomplishment, rather than only a
handful of students whose performance may be based on relatively small or even numerically
miniscule differences in grade point average. In addition, Latin honors may be seen as a way to de-
emphasize the perceived importance of academic competition in schools.
In recent years, so-called percent plans have been adopted in some statessuch as California,
Florida, and Texasthat give students who graduate from an in-state public school in a top
percentile of their graduating class automatic admission to state colleges or universities. In some
cases, valedictorians or other high-ranked students may receive additional benefits, including
discounted or waived tuition. Percent plans, and their attendant state policies, have complicated
efforts to modify or eliminate the practice of class ranking.
Debate
Historically, class rank has been one of the major academic indicators that colleges and universities
have used to assess the quality of applicants and make admissions determinations. In recent years,
several colleges across the country have stopped requiring students to submit standardized-test
scores on applications; instead, these institutions rely on class rank, grade point average, course
grades, essays, personal accomplishments, and other information to make admissions decisions. Yet
in larger collegiate institutions, which may receive thousands or tens of thousands of applications a
year that need to be processed efficiently, numerical indicators of academic performance (such as
class rank, grade point average, or standardized-test scores) may be relied on more heavily during
the admissions process. Advocates of class-ranking systems say the practice gives college-admissions
offices or prospective employers a clear comparative measure of how a particular student has
performed academically relative to other students in his or her graduating class. Some also argue
that class ranking can create positive academic competition, motivate students to work harder, and
deservedly recognize and reward high-achieving students who may have pursued a more challenging
course of study.
Critics of class rank argue that the practice can breed excessive academic competition, and that
rankings are a misleading indicator of academic performance. In some schools, depending on the
particular grading system in use, student GPAs may be so numerically close that they have to be
calculated to several decimal places to differentiate one students performance from anothers. In
these cases, a mere thousandth of a point difference in GPA may determine which student becomes
the valediction or which students fall within the top tenth percentile. Such vanishingly small
differences in academic performance not only render class-rank comparisons essentially
meaningless, some would argue, but such systems often create unintended consequences that
underscore the meaningless of the rankingsfor example, a graduating class with ten or twenty-five
valedictorians who all achieved numerically perfect academic records. Critics of class rank tend to
argue that intense academic competition can be academically unproductive and potentially harmful
to students, since it can lead to a variety of negative outcomes:
Students experiencing greater anxiety, peer competitiveness, or feelings of failure based on fractional
differences in GPA or class rank.
Students declining to take educationally valuable courses or pursue personal interests because certain
courses may be considered too challenging (therefore presenting a greater likelihood of a lower
grade) or they may present a mathematical disadvantage when it comes to calculating GPA or class
rank (such as non-weighted courses in schools that use weighted-grade systems).
Students narrowly fixating on numerical indicators of academic performance and minuscule scoring
discrepancies that might adversely affect their GPA, rather than enjoying learning, challenging
themselves academically, embracing and overcoming failures, or focusing on the larger purpose and
benefits of education.
Is class rank important?
I understand that many ppl say rank is important because it gives admission officers an
understanding of how a candidate compares to other classmates. But at my school, rank is based on
unweighted GPA so a lot of ppl who have taken lighter courseloads (much lighter in fact) are ranked
ahead of me. How will the top colleges view this situation? I'm still well within top 10% but seeing
the majority of ppl on the Ivy League Decision Threads ranked mostly in the top 5 gives me a sense
of insecurity. My unweighted GPA is 3.96 with the most rigorous courseload but that only puts me
around 10-13 out of 260 students. Would it be better to just ask my counselor to try and just report
the decile and not the specific rank?
Class Rank & College Admission
To rank or not to rank
Your students probably know that grades and test scores are the most important factors in college
admission, with essays, recommendations and other elements such as class rank also given
weight. Do your students understand what class rank is and how colleges view this piece of data?

How class rank is determined

Class ranking is a mathematical summary of a student's academic record compared to those of other
students in the class. It usually takes into account both the degree of difficulty of the courses a student
is taking (AP, honors, college-preparatory or regular courses) and the grade the student earns. The
compilation of courses and grades is converted to an overall grade point average (GPA), and the
higher the GPA, the higher the student's class ranking.

Why high schools are forgoing class ranking

Class rank was once a major component in admission decisions. But according to a recent report by
the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), more than half of all high
schools no longer report student rankings.

Most small private and competitive high schools have done away with it because they feel it penalizes
many excellent students who are squeezed out of the top 10 percent of the class and then overlooked
by elite colleges. Although most public high schools still rank students, some now make it optional
for students to report their rankings to colleges.

Class rank and colleges

Due to the tremendous differences in curricula and grading standards at different high schools, many
admission officers (especially at selective private colleges) have begun to discount the accuracy and
importance of class rank as a factor in evaluating students. Some colleges that used to rely on class
rank now use SAT scores and GPA.

Most large state universities, however, still require applicants to report class rank (as do many
scholarship programs) and rely on it to help sort through the high volume of applications received.

Factors in admission decisions

When considering the importance of class rank, it is helpful to look at some of the differences in the
ways public and private colleges evaluate other aspects of student applications.
Selective private colleges tend to place more emphasis on personal statements and essays, teacher and
counselor recommendations, leadership experience and the individual talents of applicants.

The bigger the college, the less emphasis it places on extracurricular activities, even though a student
who juggles a full course load with part-time work or a major outside commitment is demonstrating
the management and prioritizing skills that will be essential in college. (For this type of student, a
well-crafted essay can be a good place to point out strengths or track record in this regard.)

At large and small colleges alike, a student's grades in college-preparatory courses continue to be the
most significant factor in the admission decision, followed by scores on standardized admission tests
and grades in all courses. For more information on admission decisions, see Admission Decisions:
What Counts.

Whether or not your school district promotes the class-ranking system, you and your colleagues must
find a way to make colleges aware of your students' achievements and future potential. You can do
this by providing colleges with contextual information, such as the:

Student's GPA
Activities student was involved in
High school curriculum
Range and median of student GPAs
Range and median of SAT and ACT scores
Results of AP Exams
Grade distribution of the class (the percentage of the class receiving As, etc.)
Student portfolios (with writing or project samples)
Personal recommendations from teachers or counselors describing specific attributes, behaviors,
skills and achievements
Listing of colleges and universities that accepted students from the previous year
Most colleges say that they're looking at a number of different elements in the admission process.
Giving them plenty of detail about your school will help them be selective in making admission
decisions.

Have you heard of class rank but arent sure what it is? Do you want to know why class rank is
important and how to find what your class rank is? What is a good class rank?
Read on to learn about what class rank is, how schools determine it, and how its important for your
future.

What Is Class Rank?

The College Board defines class rank as a mathematical summary of a student's academic record
compared to those of other students in the class. Class rank is a way to see how your academic
achievements measure up to those of your classmates.

Your class rank is determined by comparing your GPA to the GPA of the people in the same grade
as you. So, if you are a junior and your high school has 500 juniors, each of them will receive a
number, 1-500, with the person who has the highest GPA ranked #1. If there are 500 people in your
class and your class rank is 235, then 234 of your classmates have a higher GPA than you, 265
classmates have a lower GPA than you, and you are in the 53rd percentile of your class.

Class rank is reevaluated each grading period, whether that is semesters or trimesters at your school.
So, every time new grades are added to transcripts, class rankings are updated and your rank may
go up or down.

How Do Different Schools Measure Class Rank?

All class ranking methods involve assigning each student a number based on how their GPA
compares to that of their classmates. However, there are several different ways to measure class rank.

There are two main types of class rank: weighted and unweighted. Unweighted class rank determines
your rank by using your unweighted GPA. Unweighted GPAs are measured on a scale of 0 to 4.0 and
do not take into account the difficulty of your courses. Weighted class rank determines your rank by
using your weighted GPA. Weighted GPAs usually range from a scale of 0 to 5.0 and do take the
difficulty of your courses into account.
So what does this mean for your ranking? If you have taken honors or AP classes, your weighted
class rank will likely be better than your unweighted class rank, even if you didnt receive As in all
those courses. This is because more challenging courses are given a higher weight (usually a 5.0) when
calculating GPAs. For unweighted class rank, a person who takes lower level classes and receives
straight As in them will have the same unweighted GPA and class rank as a student who took all
honors and AP classes and got straight As in them. For unweighted GPAs, every A, no matter how
difficult the course, counts as a 4.0.

Some high schools provide weighted class rank, some unweighted class rank, and some provide both
rankings.

Your class rank also determines your class percentile. If your school does not list your percentile, it
is easy to figure out. Divide your class rank by the number of students in your grade, multiply by
100, then subtract that number from 100. For example, if there are 600 students in your grade and
you are ranked 120th, then you are in the 80th percentile because (120/600)*100=20, and 100-20=80.
You are also in the top 20% of your class.

Why Is Class Rank Important?

Besides letting students know how they stack up against their classmates, class rank is used for several
other reasons:

Applying to Colleges

Class rank offers a way for colleges to see how your academic achievements compare to those of your
classmates. For example, you may attend a high school that gives very few As and you have a
transcript with mostly Bs and Cs, this may make your GPA lower than the average applicant's GPA
at some colleges. However, admissions officers will see by your high class rank that you were one of
the best students in your grade, and this will strengthen your application.
Conversely, if you have straight As but only took easy classes or went to a high school that gave
many As, you may have a great GPA but your class rank may not be particularly high because a lot
of your classmates received the same grades you did.

Knowing your class rank helps colleges put your GPA into context and give them more insight into
your academic abilities. Some states offer high school students guaranteed admission to state
universities if they have a certain class rank. For example, Florida students are guaranteed admission
to at least one in-state university if they are in the top 20% of their graduating class.

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Scholarships

Some scholarships require applicants to have achieved a certain class rank or percentile (such as top
25% of your class) in order to be applicable. Like colleges, scholarship committees may also use class
rank as one criteria to judge a students academic abilities, along with GPA and standardized test
scores.

High School Honors

Some high schools award honors to graduating seniors who achieved a certain class rank, such as top
10% or 25% of their class. There are also honors for those at the very top of their class rankings. The
graduating senior who is ranked #1 in the class is honored as the valedictorian and often gives a
speech at graduation. The person ranked #2 is the salutatorian of the class.

Why Do Some Schools No Longer Use Class Rank?

Although class rank has long been used by colleges to help judge students academic skills, only about
half of US high schools currently provide class rank.

There are several reasons more and more schools have stopped using class rank. Some schools believe
that students who just miss important percentiles, like top 10% or 25% of their class, may be unfairly
disadvantaged for scholarships and college admissions. For example, a student in the top 11% of
their class may have a GPA very similar to a student in the top 9%, but may not receive certain
scholarships or college offers because they arent in the top 10% of their class.

Some also feel that class rank doesnt promote teamwork and cooperation because it makes students
too competitive with each other as they vie to improve their class rank. Some schools also believe that
providing class rank encourages students to take easier classes to boost their ranking, instead of
challenging themselves and taking more difficult classes where they may not get an A, but may learn
more.

There are also schools that no longer assign a rank to each student, but only provide broad
percentiles. These percentiles may divide the class into quarters and show if a particular student is
in the top 25, 50, or 75% of her class. This lets you know roughly how well you are doing compared
to your classmates, but you wont know your exact class rank. Some schools also only use percentiles
to designate which students are in the top 10% or 15% of their class and dont provide percentiles
for students below that cutoff.

Because fewer high schools are including it on transcripts, many colleges are giving class rank less
importance when they review college applications. Instead of using class rank as a critical admissions
criteria, some colleges instead focus more other components of a student's transcript such as GPA as
the rigor of the classes taken.

body_binoculars

You won't need to search too hard to find your class rank.
How to Find Your Class Rank

In order to find your class rank, first check your most recent report card or high school transcript.
Your class rank should be there, usually near the bottom of the page. You should be able to see what
your class rank is and how many people are in your class. Your school may also provide your
percentile, as well as indicate whether your ranking is weighted or unweighted (or it may provide
both).

If you cant find this information, or dont have access to your report cards or transcripts, stop by
the school office or ask your guidance counselor. They should be able to give you your class rank. If
your school doesn't provide class rank, they may still be able to give you a percentile estimate. If
you're interested in learning this information, try asking something like "I would like to learn my
class rank so I have a better idea of my chances for getting into college. If you can't provide my exact
rank, could you tell me what rough percentile I fit into?"

How to Find What Percentile You're In

Many schools will list your percentile along with your rank, but if your school doesn't, it's easy to
figure out. Use this formula:

(1- (your class rank / number of people in your class)) * 100= your percentile

If a student is ranked 78th out of 600 people in her grade, she'd plug in those numbers and get:

(1- (78/600))*100= 87

So, she'd be in the 87th percentile. Remember, percentiles show how many people you're ranked
above, so a higher number is better. Being 87th percentile means that her class rank is higher than
87% of her classmates' class ranks. By subtracting 87 from 100, you can also see that this student's
class rank puts her in the top 13% of her class.
What If Your School Doesn't Include Class Rank?

Only about 60% of high schools still use class rank, so if your school doesnt provide class rankings,
you are not alone.

Some students worry that if their school doesnt provide class rank, it will hurt their chances of
getting into college. However, this is not true. When a high school doesnt provide class rank, colleges
simply look at other information, such as GPA, high school transcripts, and standardized test scores
to judge a students academic ability. As mentioned above, because fewer high schools provide class
rank, it is becoming less important for college admissions.

Summary

Class rank is a way to compare a students grades to those of her classmates. Students are given a
number ranking based on their GPA.

Class rank can be weighted, unweighted, or only include percentiles.

Class rank is one criteria colleges use to determine an applicants academic abilities.

Some high schools no longer use class rank due to growing concerns that it causes students to take
less challenging courses and puts students who are just outside certain percentiles at an unfair
disadvantage when applying to colleges.

Your class rank can typically be found on your high school transcript or report card.

If your high school doesnt include class rank, it wont negatively affect your chances of getting into
college. Universities have many other criteria, such as your GPA, essays, and standardized test scores,
to help make their decision.