The Importance of Rank

R124687
Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:49:16 +0000

I will say I believe rank to be HUGE (at least at my D’s large public high school). About 700 kids in the class. It’s a top 500 school in the country. Very good for who it serves (bottom and top of economic levels of large city). But TOP ivies take 1-3 per year, and Top 20 schools only add a few more onto that. They do ONLY select from the top… 10? students. Even though it’s very competitive, and top 50 students are very qualified and also very well rounded (GPA, scores, athletes, contest winners, etc.).

So it depends on your school. If you’re a tiny podunk country school with 5 AP classes that doesn’t send kids to Ivies…then #18 is not good enough. But if you’re east coast prep boarding school where top 20 kids are all 5.0 and 2300…then it will be good enough to be considered.

I personally also think the “very demanding” is not really good enough. Not for top 20 schools anyway. Why would then take that person when they have 10,000 more lined up with the same stats that took the “most demanding”. It’s an important box.

I say all this because my D is in the same boat and I feel she also has no chance. And Yale doesn’t traditionally show much love to our school. So, if a person takes 3-4 APS each year…that is still not THE most demanding because plenty of kids take 5-7 as Juniors/seniors.

But…whatcha gonna do? Apply. Wait. Good luck!!