<p>It seems everyone on these boards are in the top 10% of their high school class. How does a college evaluate a student who attends a private prep school where ALL graduates attend college. How do you equate being #30 out of 200 in such a private school to being #30 in a class of 700 in a local public school in a state in the south in which the average AP score this past year was a 2.92. Also our average SAT scores are in the upper 1200's while the local public school averages slightly over 1000.</p>
<p>Class rank is just one of several items that an adcom will consider. Just like a 4.0 GPA in a small, more competitive, private school may not be equivalent to a 4.0 GPA in a large, less competitive public school, class rank may not be equivalent.</p>
<p>This is why adcoms look at a combination of GPA, test scores, class rank, rec letters, essays and ECs in evaluating a student applicant.</p>
<p>Admissions is not an exact science or (in most cases) a mathematical score. Never has been and never will be.</p>
<p>This is also why some schools (esp. strong publics and privates) "do not rank." Although this does not work perfectly as intended either.</p>
<p>smiles:
I wouldn't worry about it. The colleges know that your school is more challenging, and they will take that into account. Most kids worry that it works the other way - that the private school kids look more appealing to colleges regardless of their class rank.</p>
<p>I have heard kids and parents worry both the way the OP mentioned and the way Weenie mentioned. I think it sort of works out in the end and kids end up where they belong. A much higher percentage of the class at a very competitive private or public high school can be realistic candidates for very selective colleges than at mediocre public schools, but the very top students at mediocre public schools who have pursued all opportunities available to them are also realistic candidates. At least that has been my observation.</p>