How much does being valedictorian help?

newt · 10-12-2004, 06:32 PM

How much does being the only valedictorian at a competitive school help in getting into the ivies? Is this the extreme norm?

I was also wondering how colleges would represent rank in terms of "sat scores", if you follow me. Would a rank of 1 relate to sending an SAT score of 1600 or is it too generic and would be seen like a 1500 or something?

Hopefully that made some type of sense

celebrian25 · 10-12-2004, 06:36 PM

it depends on how much worth it has, at hyps, where a lot applying are valedvictorians, it's helpful, but it's not going to give you an edge, at your state school, it could be big, or even at a top 25 school, my school's valedvictorian last year got a full ride to notre dame for being the valedvictorian

Xanatos · 10-12-2004, 08:54 PM

I don't think that being valedictorian equates to a 1600 on the SAT, but you have to remember that neither of those tags are sufficient anymore to get into the Ivies or the other elite schools (defining elite whichever way you want). It definitely is a nice thing to have on your application, but it isn't going to make up for deficiencies in other parts of your app.

Bri · 10-12-2004, 09:34 PM

Do colleges look into the valedictorian label of the student over the GPA? At my school, my class is fairly competitive with about 10 students with a unweighted 4.0 GPA. However, I have taken 7 classes (maximum number) all four of my years while others have taken less (number 2 in class is only taking 5 classes this year). The extra class I took throughout all the years is Orchestra, which isn't a honors or AP class that will give me an extra point in my weighted GPA. Because of this, my class rank is bumped down to 6 or 7. Will colleges look and see that I have taken a full courseload, and have a 4.0 uw even though I am not Valedictorian?

Xanatos · 10-12-2004, 09:37 PM

Yeah, they definitely look at more than just the valedictorian label. They pay a lot of attention to rigor and GPA and not just whether or not you are val.

newt · 10-12-2004, 09:39 PM

Thanks for your responses guys. Yes, I realize that being #1 isn't everything. I guess I was saying if everything else is up there, does being #1 give you a boost.

yz16 · 10-13-2004, 06:09 AM

Off on my own tangent (sorry to the OP) : does anybody know what a HeadGirl is?
I know what it may sound like, haha. but seriously speaking, please.

cupcake · 10-13-2004, 08:38 AM

Head Girl and Head Boy are head of the prefects (older pupils who help with discipline) in a British public or private school (schools where parents pay. State schools are the free ones.) They have kind of gone out of fashion in recent years, but they have them at Hogwarts. One of Ron's older brothers was the head boy.

ay_caramba · 10-13-2004, 09:14 AM

...who's ron?

cupcake · 10-13-2004, 09:15 AM

Ron is Harry Potter's best friend in the books. Was just using that as an example. There are also 'head girls' in books by other British authours such as Enid Blyton.

Roger_Dooley · 10-13-2004, 09:36 AM

If you check the way the Academic Index is computed by some Ivies, you'll see that class rank is a factor. Naturally, being #1 is best. However, at the ultra-selective schools, there's no shortage of top-ranked applicants, and admission will depend on lots of factors - test scores, EC accomplishments, etc. (Don't get hung up on the AI calculation - it's a crude tool, it's not used by all Ivies, and those that do use the AI may do so in different ways.)

Where valedictorian status may help a lot is at schools that are less than ultra-selective. Many schools are constantly trying to attract high-end (academically) students, and will recruit those who have strong SATs and/or class rank. (These numeric measures go into their composite stats and bring up the numbers.) I'm familiar with one regional branch of a state university that apparently gives a free ride to valedictorians, no questions asked (more or less). As you move up the selectivity scale, free rides may be less common, but significant merit aid is still very possible.

To maximize aid potential, apply to a fairly wide range of colleges that you think you would like to attend. A little extra time and application fee money could save tens of thousands of dollars over four years.

yz16 · 10-13-2004, 10:45 AM

haha, great, cupcake. I was wondering, because I'm Head Girl, but people don't seem to be familiar with the term.
It's great to be thought of in harry potter terms : ).
We don't have a valedictorian. the Head boy and Head Girl give the end of year speech, hwoever. I do happen to ranked/tied for first, but that is not a requirement. You think I can still equate this to valedictorian as an explanation on my app? (i.e. "Head Girl of school - co-valedictorian")?

jamimom · 10-13-2004, 10:50 AM

Valedictorin is certainly a boost. How much depends on the college, and the highschool. If you come from a school where the top students do not do so well, it is not going to help so much. That is when your test scores come into play. In such schools high SATs (including SAT2s) will reinforce your transcript. AP test results, too, will be scrutinized. If you come from a school known for its rigor, the valedictorian status will count for a lot if the college is aware of this reputation.

Many schools do not even know who is valedictorian because of the way it is often calculated. some schools do not make the choice until the very end of the year. And in some schools the difference between the top kids could be very small. In many cases colleges just assign a numeric value for the the top X% of the class, and anyone in that group is given the same consideration as the valedictorian.

As mentioned above, there are some programs and awards for valedictorians. But entry to a highly selective school is not a shoo in even for vals. It is, however, a definite feather in the cap, and is taken into consideration to some degree at most schools.

chango18 · 06-23-2005, 01:10 AM

When i aplied for colege i was ranked #1, and i supposedly had an advantage for being a minority and having taken 13 AP's. I am very active in my comunity ans school, but i could not even get into the highes ranking school here in texas. I think having conections wuold really help more than a ranking. even thou i ended up in 2nd place, the gpa diferece between the fisrt 3 was .002 ina 4 point scale. My best friend ended up valedictorian and she went to carnigie mellon on a full ride, but not beacuse of her grades, she had gone up there for two summers and the ppl up there were deternmined to have her, just cuz they knew her. when she aplied, she was #3 and they still told her they would offer more money than any other college. I think knowing the college u want to go to and meeting some ppl (influential if possible) is beter. Well in the fall i will be going to UT Austin paying like 1,000 a semester, so good grades pay off, but you dont nesesarily have to be #1.

gl7 · 06-23-2005, 01:23 AM

Valedictorian means your top of your school meaning you will be considered by the IVYs as high potential applicants. This almost is a sure + past the first screen (GPA SAT APS etc etc) The next round is essay and interview - even if your smart you better be socialy adept for the IVYs or else be an utter genuis.

1600s 4.0s (unweighted) and Valedictorian is generic in terms of IVYs, thats why its more important for you to be asking - is my essay good enough? do I do well in interviews or do I stutter and give vague answers? Thats what you should be concentrating on.