Because after all, the only thing that really separates the 1st guy from the 10th is a couple of better tests. Do apps people really care what individual ranking you are, as long as you are in the top 10 percent or something? I’m one of the top students in my class, but I can’t be totally error free like some of the top 3 kids. So I’m wondering if those couple of wrong multiple choice questions in your third test actually matter in the long run, other than just bragging rights.
<p>For some highly selective institutions, even small improvements in class rank appear to affect results. Bear in mind, though, that Harvard gets more valedictorians apply than the number of students they admit. Outside about the top 10 LAC's and top 20 or so most selective colleges, I wouldn't worry about it a second. And if you're applying to those schools, there's so much more to worry about...like your essays.</p>
<p>At one selective school, the acceptance for rank 1&2 was 50+%. The acceptance rate for others was about 18%.</p>