Valedictorians are not always the most accomplished students because some academically gifted youth take easy courses to maintain their grade point averages, although others risk their grades by taking more challenging classes. To address this problem, Bear Creek High School (Jefferson County, Colorado) created higher academic standards and…

Describes an alternative to the traditional grading system and its relation to student placement in colleges and universities. (AN)

Based on the Gaussian model, methods for using measurements that depend on the true attribute to compute rankings are proposed and compared. Measurements based on an empirical Bayes model produce estimates that differ from ranking observed data. Ranking methods are illustrated with school achievement data. (TJH)

Examines the use of rank-in-class (RIC) in the college admission process. Reviews the changes occurring in education that have an effect on RIC. Discusses the advantages of using RIC as a predictor of college success. (MKA)

This paper presents survey data concerning the procedure for determining Class Rank and Valedictorian status at 232 of the 500 largest public high school districts in the United States. These data are analyzed to consider whether or not districts are currently employing methodologies that provide students with appropriate incentives and provide…

Freshmen participating in the honors program had higher levels of achievement after one year than did an equivalent comparison group and a comparison group of randomly selected freshmen. (Author)

Nonfreshmen business students at two universities (n=333) evaluated two open-ended arithmetic expressions; 14.8% evaluated the first incorrectly and 33.3% the second. More recent high school graduates performed better. A refresher lesson on order of operations was recommended. (SK)

Describes study investigating why some academically able students attending "star" public high schools are rejected by selective colleges even though their SAT scores are often much higher than those admitted from other high schools. (PKP)

Born out of one legal battle over affirmative action, the Texas college-admissions policy known as the "top 10 percent plan" is now at the center of another. The University of Texas at Austin is being challenged in U.S. District Court over its 2004 decision to return to using race-conscious admissions criteria after years without them.…

This quantitative research study used logistical regression and ordinary least squares to examine factors that contribute to the narrowing of the achievement gap at an urban high school in the Midwest. The study analyzed the relationship between five independent variables related to participation in co curricular activities, demographic…

The University School of Milwaukee eliminated class rank and substituted a bar graph system, illustrated and explained in the article. (SP)

Examines the relationship between class rank and intelligence skills for a group of 75 physically handicapped students mainstreamed into two regular vocational-technical high school programs. (Author/CM)

While grade point averages and class rank are firmly entrenched in our educational system, they are not particularly reliable or valid indicators of student achievement. Introducing weighted grades creates additional problems. If schools were to eliminate this system, some motivation for grades and easy coursework would disappear. Includes four…

Honors and advanced placement (AP) courses are commonly viewed as more demanding than standard high school offerings. Schools employ a range of methods to account for such differences when calculating grade point average and the associated rank in class for graduating students. In turn, these statistics have a sizeable impact on college admission…