<p>This year I transferred from a crappy public school to a magnet that ranks within top 15 in the nation. I'm going to be a senior
My rank at my old school was 1. However, at this magnet school, many more AP/ PreAP courses are offered. Therefore, the weighted GPA of the people in this school are high compared to my old school's. Plus, this school only has about 80 students (600 my old school) in my grade. Therefore, my rank hovers around top quartlile, not top 10%. Will I be penalized for low ranking in College admission? (Since transferring I've made 4 Bs this year, the rest are As.) </p>
<p>I wonder if I should make use of the essay part in the common app to tell this fact, or should just explain it somewhere else, because I have more compelling stories to tell, and I do not want to appear too run-off-the-mill or whiny.
What should I do?</p>
<p>Oh by the way, for the essay section of the common app, if I choose to write upon a topic of my own, should I indicate what it is? And how?</p>