<p>As is well known, class rank has become an issue over the last few years. Students and parents have been known to fight immensely over the issue, as the differences separating students are often hundredths or thousands or even smaller. What do you think? How competitive is your school?</p>
<p>In my school, the strongest competition is for the valedictorian and salutatorian, the Top 10, and the Top 25. The Top 25 appear in the district newsletter in July after graduation, the Top 10 receive a small token from the school and are specially recognized at senior awards in June, and obviously the top 2 make speeches at graduation. For that reason, the "worst" spots to be are considered 3, 11, and 26. </p>
<p>The battle for val and sal has been problematic over the years. 4 years ago, a student wasn't allowed to be valedictorian because she had only attended our high school for her senior year, and as such was made salutatorian. Although both she and the other top student were ok with this, the rest of the student body made a big issue over it. The following year, there were co-valedictorians, although one of them had a slightly higher GPA (very slightly. I'm not sure the exact number, but it was a small difference). Since then, things have been fairly relaxed, until this year. The Top 3 are all extremely close, and the final ranking at the end of the third quarter is probably going to involve some sort of drama.</p>
<p>Yeahhh that’s really weird. My school eliminated class rankings. We just have top 25%, 2nd 25%, etc. It seems crazy to care so much over something that insignificant. I mean, I highly doubt being 10 vs. 11 has any effect whatsoever on a person’s life.</p>
<p>Ours doesn’t rank except for val and sal. No one really cares enough to take all APs/honors classes to get val or sal though, so it’s not really competitive. Last year our val went to Dartmouth and the sal went to Princeton. The val was in my photo class last year and I think she ended with an A- in the class cause she skipped the final, lol.</p>
<p>It’s so so sooo competitive at my school! Our valedictorian has all grey hair. My school is getting rid of rank next year cause it’s getting out of hand.</p>
<p>First and second have 4.43 and 4.425 1 a- apart and they HATE each other. They both got 4.9s this semester. I am fourth but don’t consider third a threat to me being third. They’re both like my best friends lol so it’s rly complicated bring a double agent for them. I hope they’re covaledictorians and I become sal</p>
<p>It’s relatively competitive, but our top 5 are probably set in stone 'till Senior year. Our school maintains rank but refuses to recognize the Valedictorian and Salutatorian (which makes no sense).</p>
<p>My school ranks but it’s not competitive at all. Half of the parents have never heard about class ranks and the students don’t care about it at all except for a very tiny portion.</p>
<p>My school is not competitive. I have a 3.5 GPA and am in the top 20%. But I’m only a freshman so no one is really competitive about rank until Sophomore year.</p>
<p>Hahaha I love seeing how much competition occurs for class rank. Such a silly thing in my opinion. </p>
<p>It’s pretty relaxed at my school. There’s really no competition between students about class rank, although there is some animosity for those who are in the top 5% by taking primarily non-AP classes…</p>
<p>My school doesn’t rank, but it does recognize a salutatorian and valedictorian. </p>
<p>It can’t be too competitive because I was told I was close number two or three at the beginning of this year (senior year) and I never really did anything for it.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t say our ranks are outright competitive…the top five students in my class are all either friends or friendly to each other. Grades-wise, it’s pretty close. 2-4 are all within a few fractions of a point. I’m currently valedictorian. I’d like to officially be ranked number one mostly so I can make a speech at graduation.</p>
<p>At my school competition is really between the Top 10 for salutatorian. Our Val is already in place and we all knew she would never loose that spot since middle school. For the Sal about 10 of us ( and we are all good friends too) keep switching ranks every quarter. Other than that there really isn’t any competition for ranks.</p>
<p>no rank at my school. we all know who is probably going to be the valedictorian, but it’s all really just speculation. there is no special recognition for val and sal at graduation. a few top students are invited to write a speech but I think the principal decides who ultimately speaks at graduation based on the quality of the speech.</p>
<p>I’m surprised that so many schools don’t rank.</p>
<p>@cortana - In my school, only our weighted GPA counts for rank, so that counteracts some of the effects of people taking easy classes and getting high grades. But the girl that is 4th in my class has only ever taken 3 AP classes, and the rest honors, which is really annoying to the rest of the Top 10/highly ranked students because Hnoors classes in my school are the same difficulty as regular classes, but only have the good students in them. So I agree with you on that point. </p>
<p>@iluvbooks - My top 5 have awkward relationships with each other. I’m friends with the other 4, but there’s some tension between me and the person currently ranked 2nd (I’m 3rd). And our val hates the current sal sometimes secretly, sometimes openly, because he thinks I’m more deserving of the spot than her. 2 and 4 are really good friends, and 5 is only really friends with me. So it’s a weird mess.</p>
<p>I never cared much about my class rank, but it got really competitive last year. It was neck and neck for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the graduating class. And it was between 3 students who were taking 7 APs that year. The girl who ended up being valedictorian went full ride to Duke. The other 2 got big scholarships at Cornell and went there.</p>
<p>This year the probable valedictorian’s only competition ended up going to this early college. Takes away some of the excitement.</p>