<p>I have no idea if that is true or not, but it makes sense. At a top school like St. Paul’s, a student ranked in the bottom half might be in the top 25% half at a public school.</p>
<p>I don’t know why SPS does not rank. Perhaps the reason is to foster a sense of community among the students, rather than competition. I was struck by the article, “Paulies on the Move,” in the latest Pelican that the kids who went to the Dominican Republic were told that they were not there to help, but rather to serve. I think this sums up what I hope my daughter will take away from her time at SPS.</p>
<p>I heard the new math and science building is supposed to open fall of 2011 ahead of schedule.</p>
<p>I hope so! I’m a math/science kinda guy and that would be my sixth form year.</p>
<p>I am relatively sure that if you were ask anybody at SPS, we are all very glad that we do not rank students. Ranking class members would only add to feelings of stress and anxiety. The great thing is that colleges cannot easily determine who is better, which forces colleges to really analyze each individual student’s transcript. </p>
<p>The math and science building is set to open in the fall of 2011 as far as I know. The rector wants to cut the ribbon before he leaves the school, so the push is on.</p>
<p>No, SPS doesn’t rank. Why rank anyway? What’s the point of determining who is “best”? Kids have different talents and interests and take different levels of classes so it would be comparing apples to oranges anyway.</p>
<p>The kids are competitive with themselves but with no rankings and GPAs, it helps build community, as sk8 has stated, and the students tend to be more cooperative.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your replies.<br>
I think SPS may be the only BS without ranking. I was told top 20% students in Exeter P receive letters at the end of semester to get notified about their ranking.</p>
<p>There is no need to determine who is better, except for one case: college admition.</p>
<p>Is it a good or bad thing for colleges admition without ranking? I think for top students, they would prefer with ranking. for bottom students, they prefer no ranking…sorry, no offence here :)</p>
<p>SPS is the ONLY BS that doesn’t rank students?!
That’s too bad! Why rank!!! Do other schools report percentile or numbers(1st, etc)?</p>
<p>Whoa! Hold on there. Most BS do NOT rank. It was actually a requirement of my son’s when decided whether to apply to a school or not.</p>
<p>I have no idea what hopen10 is referring to at Exeter. Also, knowing if you are in the top 20% is not nearly the same as “ranking” (valedictionarian, etc). Most BS do have some kind of honour society like Cum Laude Society for the kids with GPA’s over a set mark. That is hardly ranking; it’s more of an acknowledgement. </p>
<p>Like creative1 said, “Best at what?” Getting good grades? IMHO, it doesn’t matter if you have the highest marks possible if you put studying before a friend in need, for instance. That doesn’t make you “best.” </p>
<p>There was only one school that my son looked at that actually ranked students top to bottom, based on GPA. I can’t remember which one it was because my son immediately crossed it off his list. I don’t think we even visited it.</p>
<p>The Science Center: It is still (no change) scheduled to open for the fall of 2011. Ground preparation, moving of Dumbarton Road and moving of the practice fields is already underway. Formally, it will not ‘break ground’ until Anniversary. Bill Matthews will actually step down before the opening, but I suspect he won’t want to miss the ribbon cutting. </p>
<p>Ranking: The earlier postings are accurate. Ranking tends to foster an unhealthy level of competition. The colleges understand and do not expect rankings from SPS. The goal should be to do your absolute best, not to beat your formmates. At the end of each year there are Testimonials (1st with honors, 1st and 2nd). Those give you a vague idea of how you are doing, but reflect only YOUR performance, not how many you beat. Traditionally, graduation goes on interminably with Cum Laudes and honors in every subject. This year the Sixth Form voted not to announce all of those honors but to just have them printed in the program. They did it because they want to stay unified and not have the distinctions separate them.</p>
<p>When my teen was looking at schools we read the graduates reviews on boardingschoolreview.com and saw patterns. For one well-known academy (not PE) we kept seeing comments like “competition for the top grades in some classes was fierce”, “stressful”, “far too competitive”. At St. Paul’s we saw comments like this from one graduate:
All these kids are talented. I would rather not burn them out with the stress and competitiveness of rankings at this age. They know how they are doing, what classes they are in, their SAT scores and their W-L records in sports. But they do not need to be #114 (or at a larger school #212) striving to lower that by 3!</p>
<p>Photos and a video: You might also want to look at the following: **[Last</a> Weekend](<a href=“https://www.sps.edu/podium/tools/SlideShow.aspx?a=69626]Last”>https://www.sps.edu/podium/tools/SlideShow.aspx?a=69626); [Spirit</a> Week](<a href=“https://www.sps.edu/podium/tools/SlideShow.aspx?a=69729]Spirit”>https://www.sps.edu/podium/tools/SlideShow.aspx?a=69729); or photos from Lacrosse, Crew and a video on [url=<a href=“https://www.sps.edu/podium/tools/SlideShow.aspx?a=69271]Earth”>https://www.sps.edu/podium/tools/SlideShow.aspx?a=69271]Earth</a> Day<a href=“with%20music”>/url</a>. **</p>
<p>Parents may see their teens, new students their future classmates and applicants a possible life.</p>
<p>The ranking I was talking about is percentage, not actual number.
Thanks for all your explainations, I am fine with it now.</p>
<p>I have another question that I would like to get advise from you, how do you kids spend three months summer? what do they do?</p>
<p>They get jobs, take classes, or travel, and throughout the three months hopefully get a chance to goof off.:)</p>
<p>Just like any other summer but with a third month I suppose. I know I’m probably gonna try and play some more lax. Haha. Or travel to China for a month to brush up on my Chinese.</p>
<p>Have fun. Learn. Or for laxislife, play lacrosse! I know some current students will be in Ghana on a service trip. There will be a summer reading for Humanities (get used to calling it Hum). The reading will depend on the Form (III = The Odyssey, but use the translation they suggest) and the entire school usually reads one book that relates to the theme for the year. All faculty, students, staff (even food service) reads the same book. Last year it was A Thousand Splendid Suns with a focus on Afghanistan. Next year it will be South Korea, but I do not know the book.</p>
<p>:D Hopefully by next summer I will be recruited so I won’t have to worry about college too much, but I will most likely be studying for the SAT’s again.</p>
<p>I have a question-- when do we find out what language classes we placed into? I know all of the other classes I’m taking, but I’m curious as to where I placed in Latin. Also, when do we find out things like schedules and room assignments? I’m so excited! I want more info! The website doesn’t have any day-in-the life things, does it?</p>
<p>Good luck next year! I loved my tour at SPS. Be sure to tell me how you like it there.</p>
<p>Yeah, I know what you are saying wickedcrazy. All I know is that the directory comes out in August I think. Does anybody know?</p>
<p>Roommate and house assignments are typically right around 8/1. As far as classes, they send a letter in the mail during the summer - I’m pretty sure in mid to late July.</p>