<p>There are surprisingly large differences between entering classes in 2011 and 2012. According to Bates’ CDS for the 2012 entering class 51% ofstudents submitted HS class rank and only 45% of them were in the top 10%, with a total of 71% in the top quarter. </p>
<p>But, just one year earlier, only 39% of matriculating first year students submitted their HS class rank, 58% of them were in the top 10% and 88% were in the top quarter. </p>
<p>With the national trend being against reporting class rank and the applicant pool seemingly more competitive year over year, I’m puzzled. What could explain this big drop in top 10% students?</p>
<p>Probably doesn’t mean much. The quality of the student body likely the same (standardized scores are a bit up for what that is worth). If may reflect a larger percentage of public school kids attending as publics are more likely to rank or it might be due to admitting a larger percentage of kids from large private schools that rank who just missed the 10% mark. The numbers may have been the same if over 50% had been ranked in previous years. You can’t tell from minimal data. Rank may be informative on an individual basis – how does a student compare to peers at their particular school (and one needs to know the school to derive the meaning). It has to be viewed in context – something Bates Admissions does more than many schools.</p>