<p>runnergrl - It looks as if my post #4 has had unintended consequences. I was about to write "MomofWildChild has it right" when I looked at your handle and inferred that you might be a recruited athlete asking if a prospective coach were correct in assuring you that you'd do OK academically at the school, which you described as a "reach." As the knowledgeable parents have noted above, if you are not a recruited athlete you will be well qualified academically to succeed at any school which accepts you. And in most cases where you are a recruited athlete you will be OK academically also.</p>
<p>NewHope33, No college athletics for me. Bottom line is that I have worked hard esp. this , my junior year just to keep up. Made all A's freshman year, mainly B's soph year (major slump) and am struggling to keep up and be strong this year with 3 AP's and the rest honors courses. My first semester grades were good but still more B's than A's. This semester is looking much better. I'm asking the question because I don't want to push my parents to send me to expensive reach school and then not do well. Should I just go to a "lesser" school and maybe have less struggle. Can't figure it out.</p>
<p>Since you are a junior, you don't have to decide this question now. </p>
<p>IMO, keep this question in mind as you visit different schools. If you are still undecided as to this question in the fall, apply to schools of both types. Of course, you should be applying to safety schools anyways. </p>
<p>My guess is that, as time passes and you see and consider all types of schools, and see how academics go during your senior year, you will come naturally to a resolution of this question.</p>
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<p>Wow - what are the odds of that happening? What a coincidence.</p>
<p>When we visited JHU this spring the head of admissions said something to the effect that " we know that every student we accept will do well here".</p>
<p>I believe he meant every word of it.I did college recruiting for a previous employer back in the early 90's.The schools back then did not provide class rank of the students.You got the students resume and what the student said his GPA was.Obviously if you hired the student you received his final transcript. So I am very surprised that schools are now releasing class rankings to employers who visit campus.</p>
<p>Class rank is one thing, GPA is another. One can have a decent GPA, above 3.0 and still be ion the bottom half of the class, on the other hand, I knew someone whose GPA was 1.91 and was in the upper half of his class. I doubt either is very predictive of future success, especially since the actual studies done on the effect of GPA on later earnings find less than a 9% difference in income after 4 years out of college from those earning a 2.8 GPA vs. those earning a 3.8 GPA.</p>
<p>idad</p>
<p>I realize that one can have a good gpa etc. I guess the main point I was trying to make was I am very surprised to hear the schools are releasing class rankings to prospective employers.</p>
<p>Kid works like mad in HS-gets into a very prestigious school-graduates with a good GPA and can't get a good job because prospective employers find out from the school he ranks near the bottom of his class?</p>
<p>It strikes me as very odd that schools would release class rank to prospective employers.I can see releasing it (maybe) to graduate schools but.....</p>
<p>I know that I graduated from college a skillion years ago (1975) but I didn't know that my GPA was ranked</p>
<p>I'm surprised as well. My guess is that if enough complain, they will stop.</p>