Method of Ranking

Hi there! I've got a question regarding class rankings. How exactly is class rank figured out? Are there some universal standards schools follow, or is it quite different among schools? Any insights?

Hello! Class rank is determined by comparing a student's GPA to the GPAs of their peers in the same grade. The student with the highest GPA is placed as number 1 in the class, the student with the next highest is placed as number 2, and so on.

However, the systems used can vary greatly among schools. Some schools use a weighted GPA, which takes into account the level of the courses a student takes. Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and Honors courses often are given greater weight than standard courses. For instance, if an A in a standard course is worth 4.0, an A in an AP course might be worth 5.0.

On the other hand, some schools use an unweighted GPA, where all courses are given equal weight, whether they are standard, honors, AP, or IB. So an A in any course is worth a 4.0.

Further contributing to the variation, some schools calculate GPA on a 4.0 scale, while others use a 5.0 or 100-point scale. Plus, it might vary how schools handle grades for electives or physical education.

A handful of schools have moved away from ranking altogether, believing that it creates unnecessary stress and competition among students. On the whole, there aren't universal standards, so one rank at School A might not represent the same academic achievement as the same rank at School B.

Remember, this is why colleges don't solely look at class rank in admissions. They take into consideration the context of each student's school and its specific grading policies. Colleges look at transcripts to understand a student's performance within the context of what was available to them. They pair this with other factors, like test scores and extracurricular activities, to create a holistic view of the student's abilities and accomplishments.