Parkway North Discontinues Class Ranking

        Essays.  Applications. Standardize tests. Scholarships. Seniors and juniors have a lot to think about when applying to college. Beginning with the class of 2016, one item they won’t have to think about anymore is class rank. Parkway North will not have class rank.

        “Parkway is not ranking sophomore and freshman. Class rank and test scores are important because it pins you against your peers in comparison to the rest of the kiddos in your class,” said college counselor Christy Wills.

        Class rank is an important aspect of a student life, but should not be the main priority. Students should focus on other things such as courses and activities for colleges to look at.

        “After some research, it was decided that kids were not making good decisions on classes. It was causing a lot of pressure to remain number one [on the class rank list],” said Parkway North High School Principal Jenny Marquart.

        Ivy League colleges such as Yale, Stanford, and Harvard look at grade point average, activities, and to judge if the student gets accepted to the school. Class rank was once a major component in admission decisions, but according to a recent report by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), more than half of all high schools no longer report student rankings.

        “It was decided at the district level that [class rank] was not necessary to guarantee [kids] to get in to highly selective colleges,” said Marquart.

        Class rank is a mathematical summary of a student’s academic record compared to other students’ records. It usually takes into account both the degree of difficulty of the courses a student is taking (AP®, honors, college-preparatory or regular courses) and the grade the student earns. The compilation of courses and grades is converted to an overall grade point average (GPA) and the higher the GPA, the higher the student’s class ranking.

        “It gives students competition to achieve more than others,” said senior Alexa Roux.

        Class rank is now starting to not be as important as it used be years ago. Students are starting to have to focus on the actual classes they are taking rather than the grade point average of the class.

By: Brianne Lewis  Ad Manager