<p>I see two types of rigor here: Academic rigor, and competitive rigor.</p>
<p>This is how I view it…</p>
<p>Academic rigor can be estimated by looking at the curriculum, including the breadth and depth of curriculum offered. This type of rigor tests how well the student is able to pick up challenging new concepts and solve problems.</p>
<p>Competitive rigor, on the other hand, is the rigor associated with “keeping up with the Joneses”, or in this case, your classmates. I would imagine this type of rigor correlates well with admissions stats, but I can’t say for sure. This type of rigor tests how well the student is able to handle the pressure associated with continuously maintaining a certain social status or level of achievement.</p>
<p>The question then becomes: which type of rigor is important to you? I would consider competitive rigor to be inclusive. Some high performing students absolutely thrive in environments with less competitive rigor, but high academic rigor… others need that high level of competitive rigor to keep them motivated and alert. There is no ‘right’ level of competitive rigor in my opinion though - it depends entirely on the student’s preferences.</p>