Class Rank Help - USNA Summer Seminar Application

[scottiebar]

Hi, I am currently a junior high school student attending Pine View School, which is a magnet school for accelerated students. Obviously, this type of school refuses to rank its students, and has only provided me with a decentile. This is where things are starting to trouble me.

I have 4.5, cumulative, weighted GPA based off of my English, science, and math scores from the first five semesters of high school. According to my school's college resource officer, this puts me in the 50th percentile of my class of 197.

I read the FAQ for USNA admissions on this forum, and one question talked about a GPA of 3.9. The response was that class rank is much more important, so this is starting to make me worried. The Summer Seminar application also requires that you give a class ranking, and not a percentage. Is there anything I can do besides explain my situation to them in their little "additional remarks" box?

 

[FMHS-79]

There are a growing number of schools that do not provide class rank. Just provide a "Pine View School does not provide class rankings" comment in the additional remarks box and move on. The non-ranking of students by one's school should not affect their opportunity to attend Summer Seminar (or SA application).

There are many things that a HS Junior and Senior should be concerned about. Don't spend any cycles worrying about the lack of class rank. (FYI - my DS came from a school that does not rank and is currently a doolie at USAFA).

 

[scottiebar]

There are a growing number of schools that do not provide class rank. Just provide a "Pine View School does not provide class rankings" comment in the additional remarks box and move on. The non-ranking of students by one's school should not affect their opportunity to attend Summer Seminar (or SA application).

There are many things that a HS Junior and Senior should be concerned about. Don't spend any cycles worrying about the lack of class rank. (FYI - my DS came from a school that does not rank and is currently a doolie at USAFA).

I would move on if I could, but the class rank is a required box for form submission.

 

[FMHS-79]

There are a growing number of schools that do not provide class rank. Just provide a "Pine View School does not provide class rankings" comment in the additional remarks box and move on. The non-ranking of students by one's school should not affect their opportunity to attend Summer Seminar (or SA application).

There are many things that a HS Junior and Senior should be concerned about. Don't spend any cycles worrying about the lack of class rank. (FYI - my DS came from a school that does not rank and is currently a doolie at USAFA).

I would move on if I could, but the class rank is a required box for form submission.

Here are the applicable notes from the Summer Seminar Application Instructions(https://www.usna.edu/Admissions/NASS-Instructions.php): "Class Rank: Answer “yes” or “no” for whether or not your high school officially ranks students within year groups. If your answer is “yes”, accurately provide your current class rank. If your high school only provides percentiles, calculate your approximate rank based on the class size. If your answer is “no”, provide the best estimate of your current class rank. ENTER NUMBERS ONLY. DO NOT ADD LETTERS TO THE RANK (i.e. 5th or 21st)."

 

[MJ2020]

I hope you send your application already. My DS got his acceptance 2 weeks ago.

 

[ders_dad]

My DS had a similar issue (discussed in another thread). His counselor said he was "in the first decile". Being conservative, he listed "41 out of 410" on his NASS application. Since then, we have had suggestions that perhaps it would be more reasonable to guess at being in the middle of the top decile (i.e., 21 out of 410").

The issue of having a 4.5 weighted GPA and being in the top 50% seems another issue altogether. Where we come from, we call it "Lake Wobegon syndrome" - i.e., "all the children are above average".

 

[usna1985]

The OP's story is why USNA focuses on class rank. For the OP, you might ask whether your class is tightly grouped. So, for example, if you have a 4.5 GPA and are 50th percentile, is the person with a 4.6 in the 40th percentile or the 20th percentile?

And I am curious as to the max GPA at your school . . . (not suggesting you answer the question, just an intellectual curiosity).