Class Rank and Nominations

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USNA2024 candidate

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Dec 8, 2019
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How much does the academy take into account class rank?
Currently 25/159 in a small school (I know, not very high) Have taken all but 2 AP courses offered (one was in a language that I’m not enrolled in) and have a 4.1 weighted GPA.

I’m getting a nom from my congressman, however, there are stronger candidates that have the same nom, so I don’t see why the academy would select me over them with the one spot he has open. Should I expect a turndown and plan for my second option?
 
It’s based on whole candidate score. There are other things besides class rank. SATs. Leadership. CFA. Sports. Etc.

And you should always have plans for second and third options.
 
Class rank is more important than GPA. Close evaluation of transcript, in context of the school profile, is more important than class rank. Add all the other stuff and you have the “whole candidate score.” Others on the nomination slate may have better score. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get in. A lot of variables involved. Nonetheless, work on Plan B, C, D, etc.
 
Not just a “Plan B” but a Plan C,D,E,F...

A nomination is a huge step forward, but certainly not the end. Keep up the good work!
 
Test scores are more important than class rank. By far. Class rank is impossible to compare across candidates.
 
glj104 said:
Test scores are more important than class rank. By far. Class rank is impossible to compare across candidates.
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this is not really accurate, they are both very important, and are both a major component of the Whole Person Multiple (WPM).

test scores are measured across an even playing field, and provide a measure of aptitude and Academic Potential
class rank (based on strength of curriculum and gpa) and adjusted for school profile, provides a measure of demonstrated Academic Achievement

both of these measurements are very important in assessing the candidate. if the school does not provide class rank, USNA will ask the school for it
 
A6E Dad said:
this is not really accurate, they are both very important, and are both a major component of the Whole Person Multiple (WPM).

test scores are measured across an even playing field, and provide a measure of aptitude and Academic Potential
class rank (based on strength of curriculum and gpa) and adjusted for school profile, provides a measure of demonstrated Academic Achievement

both of these measurements are very important in assessing the candidate. if the school does not provide class rank, USNA will ask the school for it
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Actually it is very accurate. USNA no longer uses it as criteria.
 
Since USNA application asked for class rank and confirmed it with our DS high school guidance counselor I am fairly confident they are still taking it into account. Otherwise why ask and confirm?
 
glj104 said:
Actually it is very accurate. USNA no longer uses it as criteria.
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Where can I find this written please? I am curious because they can't use GPA because there is distinct variances in public school GPA's. Some schools use a 4.0, some schools use a 5.0, some schools use a 4.5, some schools base Honors courses on a 5.0 GPA, some base Honors as a 4.5, still others Honors are based on the same 4.0. You would end up with such a disparity according to School District policy that it will be totally confusing to try and figure out if one 4.3 is the same as another. Class Rank takes those variables out of the equation as you are evaluated against others within your school system on an even basis and not nationwide and is actually MORE equal in ranking than GPA.

As an example: A student at a HS that rates general education classes on a 5.0 scale (they may have no AP or IB program available). A student gets all A's in General Education, ends up with a 5.0 GPA and finishes 15th in a class of 100 because the school factors Community College Classes taken into Class Rank. Another student at a larger school takes all AP, DE, and IB classes (college level courses), gets a few B's and ends up with a 4.6 GPA and is ranked 10th out of 500 students. Is it really fair or equal evaluations to rank the 5.0 with no advanced courses above the 4.6 with all STEM or advanced classes?
 
OldRetSWO said:
I'm pretty sure that you've confused USNA with USMA. There are a number of posts on the WooPoo forum about WP Admissions dropping their use of class rank.

Probably because they were embarrassingly low when compared to USNA.
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LOL No need to whisper the truth! ;)
 
USNA2024 candidate said:
Im getting a nom from my congressman, however, there are stronger candidates that have the same nom, so I don’t see why the academy would select me over them with the one spot he has open.
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Keep in mind that a MOC may have more than one opening in any given year, and that candidates can be charged to any number of Nom sources. In other words, the fact that a stronger candidate may get in does not preclude you from getting in. That's one of the reasons there is little value in worrying about who else is applying.
 
Test scores are more important than class rank. By far. Class rank is impossible to compare across candidates.
Click to expand...

To my knowledge, for USNA this is not true. Class rank is very important, but is not considered in a vacuum. USNA looks not only at the courses you take and the grades you received but also the "rigor" of the school itself. IOW, what percentage of students at the school take AP/IB/honors courses, what percentage of students attend a 4-year college/university, etc. USNA also carefully scrutinizes teacher recs. For example, if you earned a B in an AP course but your teacher says you are getting the highest grade of any student in that course . . . that means a lot.

There are issues with test scores just as there are with any other objective measure. For example, those who have the funds to take prep courses and retake the test multiple times tend to get higher scores as they continue to train/test. This may not be an option for candidates with limited means.

That's why USNA looks at many criteria.
 
glj104 said:
Test scores are more important than class rank. By far. Class rank is impossible to compare across candidates.
Click to expand...
I have NO idea where you're getting this. Yes, test scores are important but to suggest arbitrarily that they are MORE important at USNA is not accurate at all.
Every year someone comes up with the new secret to the "special USNA sauce" and the fact is, unless you sit on the admissions board, you ain't got it.
 
zoesmith said:
What if my school doesn't do class rank? Will that hurt my app?
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Nope. That is not uncommon. Ours doesn’t. I have a MIDN there now. USNA has ways to deal with this. It wont hurt you application.
 
Quaker educational high schools do not rank and the USNA understands that not all HS’s rank their students.
 
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