GRAPHIC/ Ella Chang and Mars Wang
By Ethan Lay
Staff Writer
In every field, our school recognizes achievement and effort. The best athlete receives the MVP title and the top scorer in a Science Olympiad competition receives a medal. Yet, when it comes to grades, students at this school are left unnoticed.
The absence of a class ranking system leaves those who have dedicated themselves to academic excellence indistinguishable from those who have not. Class rank isn’t just a number; it is a symbol of one’s effort compared to their peers. With a class rank, students can stand out in terms of course rigor.
Imagine two students have the same grade point average (G.P.A.); however, student A took multiple honors and AP classes while student B took regular classes.Without class rank, it is impossible to differentiate between these two students. Class rank is not meant to put others down—instead, it spotlights students who have gone the extra mile
I’m not advocating for a traditional class rank system that discredits the efforts of students at the bottom. I am advocating for a broader quantile system that only highlights the top 10% of grades. This allows the school to maintain the competitiveness of high-achievers while also removing the negativity associated with having a lower class rank.
Some argue that ranking increases stress, but stress is actually an indicator that a course is effective. Without being challenged or pressured, students will never push to be the best version of themselves and prepare for the real world, where stress is unavoidable.
Just as athletes push themselves to succeed in hopes of earning awards or reaching the professional level, students are also motivated to improve when they receive recognition for it. Spotlighting top students will encourage more people to strive for excellence.
By Melody Cen
Financial and Print Officer
With hundreds of students at TC hustling in AP and honors courses to boost their G.P.A., many have reason to support the re-implementation of class rank. However, with only about 50% of the population taking a spring 2025 AP exam and the removal of class rank circa 2012, it’s clear that not everyone shares this sentiment.
Students with a high class rank will reap the most benefits, but for the vast majority of students, all with their own individual specialties, it becomes a constant reminder that no matter how hard they work or study for their grades, someone else is always ahead. Comparison is the thief of joy, and students already compare themselves to others. The last thing a student needs is for their school to promote this comparison as well.
Back in 2012, faculty members noticed that the difference between top ranking students was sometimes a hundredth of a percent. They also found that the person with the highest G.P.A. usually exhibited traits that negatively affected peers and their overall school involvement. Students would take all the hardest AP classes to outperform each other, studying for subjects they had no interest in or use for, all to get ahead. This system did not benefit school culture nor promote healthy behavior.
Sacrificing physical health, friendships and passions for the pursuit of a title or a higher rank is also not relevant to skills required for adulthood. To achieve a higher weighted average, many students gave up electives such as band, orchestra, journalism or yearbook as it hindered them from taking all AP/honors courses.