Does Class Rank Really Matter?

There's yet another story making the rounds on the internet about a high school valedictorian whose graduation speech had the general theme of "why did I waste my time working toward a goal I now believe to be meaningless?" A few years ago, another valedictorian, suffering from extreme burnout and at a loss for words, actually mooned his audience. So what's the real deal? Does class rank really matter? In my opinion, the answer is yes and no. Class rank matters to a certain extent, within certain parameters, but achieving a particular numerical rank is not nearly as important as some parents and students believe.

The more selective and competitive colleges want top students who will be successful in demanding post-secondary programs. Therefore, they look for students who have earned excellent grades in challenging classes. These students will generally have higher class ranks than students who have earned mediocre grades, or who took less difficult classes. But there is no magic about being ranked #1 vs. #6. Many times the difference between a higher and a lower numerical rank is not ability, or even grades, but scheduling issues that allow one student to take an extra honors class the other student couldn't fit into his or her schedule. Some class ranking calculations even penalize students who take extra classes. I remember one situation where two students had exactly the same grades in exactly the same classes for four years....but Student A was ranked above Student B because Student B had taken driver's ed in summer school! The extra "A" in driver's ed "diluted" the ratio of honors to regular classes.

In general, a student considering the more selective colleges should take honors, AP, or IB classes where that choice is possible. AP and IB classes tend to be regarded a bit better than honors classes, because they are nationally (and in the case of IB, internationally) recognized as having certain standards. The difficulty of "honors" classes may vary considerably from school to school. He or she should also take "five solids" (math, science, English, social studies, foreign language) each year, and select honors/AP/IB options for these where possible. Obviously, a student who makes these choices, and does well in them, will have a fairly high class rank.

It is not necessary, and may be counterproductive, to choose electives based on whether they carry honors weighting. Besides being incredibly stressful, taking all honors classes might cause a student's overall grades to drop. In addition, most colleges are looking for students who will make an interesting addition to the college community. Typically these students are curious and willing to try new things, enjoy learning for learning's sake, and have a sustained passion for something outside their academic goals. These qualities may best be demonstrated through eclectic elective choices or long-term extracurricular involvements in something the student truly enjoys. This student may well graduate with a lower numerical rank than another student who chooses only classes that will enhance his or her class rank, but will probably be more attractive to selective colleges- and I think, a happier and more well-adjusted person.

The bottom line? Challenge yourself; work hard and do your best; but don't obsess over class rank to the point where you destroy your love of learning and of life!