<p>I know it varies by the school you came from, but…how highly does Harvard value the rank of Valedictorian. If, from a group of 20,000 students applying total, there are 2000 valedictorians, will this status be more valueable in the smaller EA pool? Is it a really big push especially if you have taken ALL or even more than what your school offers?</p>
<p>-Thanks</p>
<p>haha here in canada, we don’t choose valedictorians until like near grad.</p>
<p>Well, I think that in itself being Valedictorian is a really great achievement. But it’s hard to say how many people are really at the top of their classes because so many people go to schools that don’t rank or designate valedictorians.</p>
<p>I would imagine that Harvard cares more that you’re achieving at the highest or near-highest level possible, and would appreciate that you’re valedictorian if your school has such a thing, but would not necessarily demand it. It’s definitely important that you’re pushing yourself academically.</p>
<p>Anyone else??</p>
<p>Harvard will expect a kid from a public to be top ~1%, private top ~5%, and elite private top ~10%-20%</p>
<p>Harvard gets so many applications from valedictorians – far more than it has space in its classes for – that I don’t think that being valedictorian counts for much unless perhaps one is in one of the nation’s top prep or public schools. </p>
<p>Remember that Harvard applicants include students who are nationally ranked in their sports, have gotten first place national scores in ECs, hold national presidencies in ECs. Those are the kind of ECs that are likely to stand out the admissions pool.</p>
<p>Here are some stats from some of the 22,796 applicants last year. (2,074 students were admitted):
"By standard measures of academic talent, including test scores and academic performance in school, this year’s applicant pool (and admitted group) remained quite similar to last year’s impressive Class of 2008. For example, once again 56 percent of the candidates scored 1400 or higher on SATs; almost 2,150 scored a perfect 800 on their SAT verbal test; more than 3,200 scored an 800 on the SAT math; and nearly 3,200 were valedictorians of their high school classes. "</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2005/04.07/03-admission.html[/url]”>http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2005/04.07/03-admission.html</a></p>
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<p>so unfair, it seems they would ignore the fact that maybe 18/20 people ranking ahead of me had courseloads with 2/3 aps…</p>
<p>yeh cujoe thats one of the things I hate the most… there are a few people ranked higher than me who have taken 2-3 less aps than me…
Oh well</p>
<p>7th is still a decent rank.</p>
<p>I think how much the title is worth depends on how difficult it is to achieve at your school: if you’re at one of the top prep schools in the country, being valedictorian means a lot. But if you’re school isn’t really competitive, then its easier to become valedictorian and hence its not viewed as highly. Although valedictorian status still is a wonderful achievement either way.</p>
<p>It is obviously impressive to be a valedictorian, but that in itself is not enough. You have to validate that status with high scores, and attractive EC’s. However, I read somewhere that around 40% of applicants who were valedictorians were accepted to Harvard. (That figure seems high…if 3200 valedictorians applied then about 90% of class filled with valedictirians seems a little off).</p>
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<p>sure… but when you 22, it’s not pretty… out of ~415 mind you… ok how about this… valedictorian in a class of 80… or someone ranked 5 in a clas of 400… i don’t think we can categorize something as valedictorian so objectively…</p>
<p>and when 20 of the people above you have 3~5 ap’s and you have 11/12 it’s really not fair that they do rank above you, (thank you unfair unweighting where honors == ap…)</p>
<p>“For example, once again 56 percent of the candidates scored 1400 or higher on SATs.”</p>
<p>So 44% of last year’s applicants didn’t even break the 25%tile SAT range? Then we wonder why acceptance rate is like 9%…</p>
<p>sweet… i broke 1400 which places me in a better position than 44% of the people :)</p>
<p>Is a Valedictorian the same as #1 GPA class rank?</p>
<p>why yes… yes it is</p>
<p>So then why are they “elected” if its totally objective? Maybe it varies by school?</p>
<p>where are they elected? in canada? not here… in any school that i know of</p>
<p>Well, what if you are valedictorian…but also the student that as taken the most AP classes in the history of your school? Or the only sophomore (in the past) to take 2 AP classes and get A’s in them? I have taken 13 AP classes and the typical TOP few seniors in my school have completed 7 max. My class is out of 590. Will any of these things mentioned help the rank because I know some schools can have a valedictorian with only honors classes and few APs if other peers are not competitive relatively.</p>
<p>“Will any of these things mentioned help the rank because I know some schools can have a valedictorian with only honors classes and few APs if other peers are not competitive relatively.”</p>
<p>Thank god, that’s what the SATs are for. The great equalizer. People criticise it, but it’s the levelest playing field out there.</p>
<p>I agree 100%. Class ranks are worthless without the SAT to back it up. Example: right now I’m taking Multivariable Calc. at State U (only kid from my HS). My prof. is notoriously hard; he’s really big on proofs, the whole bit. I’m the only person in the entire Calc. C section with an A (this includes college kids), a pretty big accomplishment in my eyes. The problem is that when my High School calculates my rank, a college 4.0 is a 97, and college courses are only weighted 5%, as opposed to APs, which are weighted 8%. The AP Stats section at my school is depressingly easy…we’re talking (literally) half the class getting 100s…boosting their GPAs by an obscene amount. So my A in Mult. Var. Calc is not only worth less; it’s weighted less in the GPA. ****eses me off so much. That’s how morons can attain high GPAs.</p>