<p>I am just slightly confused/worried about tiny differences in ranks. What would the difference be, say, between 5% of your class and 7% of your class? The thing is with my high school at the upper percentiles it gets extremely competitive, and I was wondering if that competition is justified.</p>
<p>Tiny differences are tiny. Why would they bother you.</p>
<p>The only time you should care about such menial differences is when you’re fighting for valedictorianship. And then it’s still only a personal vendetta and not a what-will-colleges-think kind of thing.</p>
<p>Competition is only justified when it’s legitimate. I’m guessing some of your top 15 have cheated on a major test at least once. Therefore, that competition is, by this reasoning, unjustified.</p>
<p>I think top 5% would make some sort of a difference</p>
<p>What’s the difference of being out of the 10% and in it? I am 2 people away from being exactly in the top 10% of my class.</p>
<p>For some schools top 5% and top 10% are a big deal, for some they aren’t.</p>
<p>My state flagship: </p>
<p>“Please check your approximately rank: Top 5% __ Top 10%___ Top 20%__ Below Top 20%__”</p>