<p>Hello, everyone! So, I had a question. I'm a senior and I just got my class rank (number 26 out of 293). I know the number doesn't sound too great, but it's in the top 10% which I thought was pretty good. I'm not applying anywhere super-duper rigorous (the most prestigious school I'm applying to is CMU followed by NYU and GWU). </p>
<p>I also have a GPA (weighted) of around 95.3. I was recently told by a teacher not to put my class rank on apps since I'm not in the top 10 kids and to just put my GPA.</p>
<p>Would it be a bad idea to put both since I'm not in the top 5% or so? I thought top 9% was pretty good, but would it hurt my chances if I put that? Should I just stick to my GPA?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>-PrettyPegasus</p>
<p>I don’t think it would hurt! Really depends on the academic rigor of your school though.</p>
<p>I’m not sure how important class rank really is anymore, except that it kind of indicates how your school grades. Given all the intelligence colleges now have about high schools, plus the fact that many top high schools no longer rank their students, it’s rather unimportant.</p>
<p>Consider this, how do you rank students? By GPA. But in the modern HS, everyone doesn’t take the same thing. If everyone did, class rank would mean something. But how do you compare the smart pothead who specializes in band, art, and maximizes out at Algebra II with someone who take 14 APs and takes Calc III. It’s meaningless. </p>
<p>Even if you give extra points for honors and AP classes, it then becomes a game to take the classes that don’t jeopardize your class rank but give you the extra points rather than you taking risks and maximizing your learning opportunities. In my mind, a student who never got a B+ in something never really challenged themselves, because the human capacity for learning is not infinite, we all have limits to our talent.</p>
<p>No one thing is going to get you in or eliminate you. Being top 10% is at worst, neutral, so you put it in. Most schools are going to see it as a plus, they like being able to claim X% of the class was Top 10%. Numbers higher than that aren’t widely published.</p>
<p>
It really doesn’t matter if you put your rank or not. It will be provided on your transcript, or enough surrogate info will be provided on your school profile to approximate where you are.<br>
I don’t think that’s true. School profile info allows colleges to infer rank. There are some colleges where rank is king (U Texas). And the other issues MrMom brings up are why colleges look at rank along with class rigor.</p>
<p>Erin’s Dad is exactly right. It makes no difference if you self-report your rank in the common app. The school report filled out by your counselor for the common app will ask for rank, and even if the counselor doesn’t provide an exact rank or decile, enough other information about your school is required in that form to make clear you are at about the top 10th percentile. </p>
<p>You may as well self report your rank. Top 10% isn’t bad at all.</p>