<p>colleges know about the competitive schools and wouldnt expect that a 15/300 person was worse than they really are. If you have people go to certain schools each year, the admissions knows enough about your school to make a good judgement about it. </p>
<p>my school ranked, and yes we almost murdered each other for that extra 0.001 on our gpa, but in the end, we all got into decent schools. </p>
<p>After a year in college, I've realized that what we thought were so important in high school, really doesnt matter anymore. No one has ever asked me my sat score or my gpa or my class rank or my ecs.</p>
<p>there are thousands of high schools in the united states. theres no way admissions officers could really "know" them in the way you suggest, unless they are in the top 25 of the nation year after year. im glad my school doesnt rank, so we can help each other get good grades without having ulterior motives. we're already grade-obsessed enough as it is.</p>
<p>I don't know. Sometimes it feels like every child has been locked into a cage and told to let all hell break lose. The strong survive, the rest are crushed with such severity.</p>
<p>What I mean is this: most high schools feed into local colleges and universities. I'm from NC, and most of my classmates go to NC State, UNC, and Duke. Sure there are thousands of high schools in the US, but locally, you mention any of the high schools and admissions will know how good it is. </p>
<p>For MIT admissions, on your E3 card, they list the number of people in your school who have gotten in for the last 5 years. They take that to see if you come from a very competitive school that is known year after year or if you're from a small little town. They do take that into consideration.</p>
<p>Yes there are perks to not ranking, but I personally am glad that universities can see the difficulty in my high school and note the difference between me and number 143, when I have worked two, three times harder to get to where I am. It's a matter of asian pride.</p>
<p>My high school doesn't rank...and MIT usually lets in at least two each year (class size ~375). We're also local, though, and thus (possibly) easier to know by reputation.</p>
<p>My school had a graduating class of eight students, two of which didn't even receive their diplomas that night because they had failed too many English classes. No rank.</p>
<p>My school system has a school day with only 6 periods (as opposed to the kids in the 'burbs of chicago who get 8 or even 9). Since there's a mandatory 3.5 years of gym in illinois, they tried at the end of last year to get rid of P.E. waivers. I.E, EVERYONE, regardless of schedule, WOULD HAVE HAD TO TAKE GYM. Meaning I would have gotten only FIVE acedemic classes.... and if I wanted a language or band, then I was just screwed as far as "rigourous courseload" goes. But we protested a LOT, and lobbied, and the Illinois senate approved P.E. waivers for this year. So I was saved...</p>
<p>I think my point was that some kids don't graduate becuase of P.E, which is really stupid. </p>
<p>Also, they based the taking-away-of-waivers on the fact that most kids were failing the "gym exams" (which I guess are a combo of athletic tests ala 3rd grade and a written exam). But the only kids who ever took those tests were THE ONES ALREADY IN GYM CLASS. So basically, they figured, "Well, kids aren't doing well in gym. It can't be because of our terrible gym programs that are terrible because we don't spend money on education. It must be because there aren't enough kids in gym classes."</p>
<p>Haha, sorry. It's 1:20 where I live, and I have about 30 Chemistry problems, a 1-page paper, and teacher recomendation forms to do still. I'm a little "punchy," as my World History teacher puts it.</p>
<p>Heh, thank-you. My teacher explained the term to me and the class one day--one of my friends was punchy--and now it's sort of a joke in our class. He didn't mention the punch-drunk part, though. </p>
<p>Learn something new every day! Night! Arrgh. </p>
<p>I would describe myself as more "giddy, f'ing tired, and heedless of consequences" right now. But punchy works too!</p>
<p>the 40% valedictorian thing... that means ranked 1st? (not top 2%?)
bleh...
But then it doesn't make sense that using deciles/quartiles won't hurt (if decile, there is--supposedly--1/10 chance that the person is a valedictorian)<br>
hmm..<br>
for Academic Index, using straight-forward rank is better, though, right?</p>