Class Rank

Pros and Cons

 Iowa schools that have
eliminated class rank 1

https://www.iowaregents.edu/institutions/higher-education-links/reg
ent-admission-index/iowa-schools-that-dont-provide-
rank -complete list (60+ schools)

Metro Schools 3A schools

• Ankeny** • Mount Vernon***
• Iowa City • Solon
• Johnston*
• Valley (West DSM) Area Schools
• Waukee • North Fayette
Valley
*Starting with the class of 2019
**Starting with the class of 2020
***Starting with the class of 2021
 Ames decision 2002 3
 Class ranks of many students with high GPAs was misleading due to the
competitive academic environment
 Class rank is not on transcripts, but can be made available by school if
required for a scholarship or college application
 Ames sends a letter with student transcripts explaining their class rank
policy
 Encourages institutions to look at other aspects of student’s performance
 Iowa States input to the discussion:
 “Class rank is the primary criteria for considering students for admission to
the university” – automatic acceptance is given to Iowa students in the top
half of their class per the Iowa Code
 In general ISU supports high schools providing class rank information
 ISU now bases the estimate for Ames student’s upon their GPA with
consideration to courses completed and ACT/SAT scores
 Pros
Why to keep Class Rank
 Dr. Anthony Voss:
Hudson Superintendent of Schools 2
 Allows a consistent metric to be applied for
Regent University admittance and scholarships
 Some scholarships are only available to the top
10% of the class – without rank this cannot be
determined
 Reward for top students – title (Valedictorian)
and scholarships
 Student Opinion:
Brookline, MA (no class rank) 5
 Considered in college admissions and
scholarships
 Competitive environment that could motivate
students to work harder and take more
demanding courses
 Cons
Why to eliminate Class Rank
 Dr. Anthony Voss:
Hudson Superintendent of Schools 2

 Competition for class rank may be forcing

students to make decisions about classes –
“easier” class for a higher grade vs higher rigor
class to prepare for post-secondary education
 Penalizing students in the more advanced
classes if they get an B vs a student with an A in
another class
 Students with high GPA can still fall outside of
the scholarship “10%” mark if the class average
is high
 Student Opinion:
Brookline, MA (no class rank) 5
 Unnecessarily competitive environment can be
unhealthy
 Students in some schools are already
academically motivated, so class rank is not
necessary to push students
 College Raptor – question
response 6

 Swarthmore College has said that only 44% of

their incoming class of 2019 had a HS class rank
 Allows admissions counselors to give more weight
to other elements of an application
 Class rank is not a direct reflection of a students
achievements (high GPA, but not college
readiness)
 Won’t affect acceptance odds as it is becoming
more common for schools not to provide a class
rank
 Ms. Horne:
Purdue University associate vice provost of
enrollment and dean of admissions 4
 Class rank does not compare apples to apples
from school to school
 “… for many institutions [class rank] is not
meaningful. It’s disappearing, and it’s not
representative of the class.”
 References
1. https://www.iowaregents.edu
/institutions/higher-education-links/regent-admission-ind
ex/
iowa-schools-that-don’t-provide-rank

2. http://superintendentvoss.blogspot.com/2015/04/does-cl
ass-rank-still-matter.html

3. http://www.iowastatedaily.com/news/article_6705d0fe-fa
f4-5324-8ff4-780aa40a91b1.html

4. https://www-lexisnexis-com.cowles-proxy.drake.edu/hott
opics/Inacademic/?verb=sr&csi=171267&sr=HEADLINE(
High-School+Class+Rank%2C+a+Slippery+Metric%2C
+Loses+Its+Appeal+for+Colleges)%2BAND%2BDATE%
2BIS%2B2012

5. https://thesagonline.com/3102/opinions/class-rank-pros-