Class rank
Encyclopedia
Class rank is a measure of how a student's performance compares to other students in his or her class
. It is commonly also expressed as a percentile
. For instance, a student may have a GPA better than 750 of his or her classmates in a graduating class of 800. In this case, his or her class rank would be 49, and his or her class percentile would be 94.
s. Large public schools are more likely to rank their students than small private school
s. Because many admissions officers were frustrated that many applications did not contain a rank, some colleges are using other information provided by high schools, in combination with a student's G.P.A. to estimate a student's class rank. Many colleges say that the absence of a class rank forces them to put more weight on standardized test
scores.
, although because of differences in grading standards between schools, admissions officers have begun to attach less weight to this factor, both for granting admission, and for awarding scholarships. Class Rank is more likely to be used at large schools that are more formulaic in their admissions programs.
who are in the top four percent of their graduating class, and students in Florida
who are in the top twenty percent of their graduating class are guaranteed admission to some state school, but not necessarily any particular institution. Valedictorians at Alaskan high schools are all given free tuition through University of Alaska. The top eight percent of students in Texas
high schools are guaranteed admission to the state school of their choice, excluding the University of Texas, which only allocates 75% of its incoming freshman class seats to top 8% members.
Class (education)
A class in education has a variety of related meanings.It can be the group of students which attends a specific course or lesson at a university, school or other educational institution, see Form ....
. It is commonly also expressed as a percentile
Percentile
In statistics, a percentile is the value of a variable below which a certain percent of observations fall. For example, the 20th percentile is the value below which 20 percent of the observations may be found...
. For instance, a student may have a GPA better than 750 of his or her classmates in a graduating class of 800. In this case, his or her class rank would be 49, and his or her class percentile would be 94.
Use in high schools
The use of class rank is currently in practice at about 45% of American high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s. Large public schools are more likely to rank their students than small private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
s. Because many admissions officers were frustrated that many applications did not contain a rank, some colleges are using other information provided by high schools, in combination with a student's G.P.A. to estimate a student's class rank. Many colleges say that the absence of a class rank forces them to put more weight on standardized test
Standardized test
A standardized test is a test that is administered and scored in a consistent, or "standard", manner. Standardized tests are designed in such a way that the questions, conditions for administering, scoring procedures, and interpretations are consistent and are administered and scored in a...
scores.
Use in college admissions
Colleges often use class rank as a factor in college admissionsCollege admissions
University admission or college admissions is the process through which students enter tertiary education at universities and colleges. Systems vary widely from country to country, and sometimes from institution to institution....
, although because of differences in grading standards between schools, admissions officers have begun to attach less weight to this factor, both for granting admission, and for awarding scholarships. Class Rank is more likely to be used at large schools that are more formulaic in their admissions programs.
Percent plans
Some U.S. states guarantee that students who achieve a high enough class rank at their high school will be admitted into a state university, in a practice known as percent plans. Students in CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
who are in the top four percent of their graduating class, and students in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
who are in the top twenty percent of their graduating class are guaranteed admission to some state school, but not necessarily any particular institution. Valedictorians at Alaskan high schools are all given free tuition through University of Alaska. The top eight percent of students in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
high schools are guaranteed admission to the state school of their choice, excluding the University of Texas, which only allocates 75% of its incoming freshman class seats to top 8% members.
See also
- Rank-based grading in the USA
- SalutatorianSalutatorianSalutatorian is an academic title given, in the United States and Canada, to the second highest graduate of the entire graduating class of a specific discipline. Only the valedictorian is ranked higher. This honor is traditionally based on grade point average and number of credits taken, but...
- ValedictorianValedictorianValedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...