<p>Hi CC community! So I had a general question for you guys. Say my gpa is a 3.59 uw and 4.5 w, but my class rank is 28/700. Will top colleges like Vandy take class rank over gpa and know how difficult my schools curriculum is, which is why my uw gpa is sub par? Is it just gpa or gpa relative to class rank? Thanks!</p>
<p>What ALL most-selective LACs and National Research Universities will do is GREATLY consider curricular rigor, which should probably enhance your acceptance probability. </p>
<p>Common Data Set, section C7.</p>
<p>Top tier schools like Vanderbilt are more concerned with your GPA (which is reflective of YOUR intelligence coupled with how hard YOU worked) than class rank (which is more telling of others at your school). They expect you will have a high GPA and Class Rank in addition to taking the most rigorous course load possible. That is the common denominator of students at top tier universities. </p>
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<p>Seriously? That is in the top 5%. How could that possibly be a negative?</p>
<p>^ ^ ^
@OHMomof2: You likely have misread the OP’s initial post. He said, “take class rank over GPA,” which obviously indicates concern with his 3.59 unweighted GPA (and he further suggested this by stating, “why my uw gpa is sub par”). I suspect the OP understands his class rank is good and, in fact, is asking if it might compensate for his unweighted GPA. </p>
<p>All grades are taken in context, which the class rank provides. That is why it is useful - not as an absolute number but as a tool to evaluate GPA when you lack additional data about a school. Clearly if top 5% is around a 3.6 UW, that indicates the school has a pretty tough set of grading standards and thus the 3.6 will not be looked down on or considered substandard.</p>
<p>The one thing that’s left unsaid is how well know the HS is. If it’s well known to top schools, and you can tell by how many previous grads have gone to top schools, then that too will be taken into account and the GPA will again be looked at in context.</p>
<p>This is one time when Naviance for the school would come in really handy because there seems to be grade deflation, so you can’t judge the GPA by the standard measure. OP should ask their GC how previous students with his/her stats did and go with that.</p>
<p>Yes I did, @toptier thanks.</p>
<p>I’m in the same situation. I have a 3.5 but I am in the top 7 percent. I’ve had this question too. </p>
<p>please bear with me . . . Post #2 @ erin’s dad: what do you mean? can you explain? just learning these things.</p>
<p>Post #6 @ mr.mom; – does naviance for each school have school data? can you explain? TIA! </p>
<p>and to OP: i’m just learning things, wish i could help, but sounds like you are doing well. good luck.</p>
<p>Each college has data in Naviance if there is a history of kids applying from that HS. And there is a minimum threshold for the data to appear, otherwise it would be too easy to figure out who’s who. For example, most HS won’t have data on Deep Springs because most HS don’t have anyone who applies. But most HS will have data on most of the top schools if you go to a top HS because enough kids apply that there is a relevant data set that also allows them to maintain privacy.</p>
<p>All of this assumes your HS even subscribes to Naviance. If they don’t, you’ll need to ask your GC.</p>
<p>@bgbg4us most colleges publish their Common Data Set which you can google. Look up section C7 which shows what elements get what weight in admissions (not considered, considered, important, very important). This varies by school.</p>
<p>Your class ranking is extremely important because highly selective schools want the most the top 10% enrollees to enhance their US News rankings. The other posters are correct- admissions counselors know what schools are more rigorous than others. However, one thing to take into account is that the school also wants the highest GPAs for their US News rankings, too. I mentioned in another thread that one way they are handling these discrepancies is to admit in Spring. Then they don’t have to report the lower GPA for rankings. </p>
<p>My son is near you guys in GPA, but barely the top 40% of his graduating class.</p>
<p>Rank should matter, in that if your classes are unusually rigorous, the teachers will not be giving as many As.</p>
<p>The problem in my son’s school is that they give bonus points for regular classes to help non-honors non-AP kids get into college, so his class rank is terrible.</p>
<p>thanks guys for info.
@ mr. mom – i’ve been looking at this info. THANKS! do you think the numbers for college acceptances are for more than just one year? </p>