With the school considering eliminating class rank starting next year, many students, especially the class of 2019, feel blindsided by the abrupt change. After working for three years to keep their grades up, many juniors are outraged that the school is considering eliminating class rank.

What could be a reason that our school’s administrators think it’s a good idea to take class rank away?  At a recent board meeting, Superintendent Mr. Radday argued that it’s unfair to students who are in the top percentage of the class, but are often separated by fractions of a point failing to lock in a valedictorian or salutatorian honor.  He noted that the current system might discourage colleges from looking beyond a student’s grade point average.

Director of guidance and data management, Dr. Finn noted that in 2009 that the difference between number one and number 20 in the class was seven points, while in 2017 it was only a difference of two points. The rankings were separated by minute fractions of a point.

Junior Cole Hempel, who is ranked No. 2 in the class of 2019 said, “I don’t think eliminating class rank is very beneficial. I just think for some people it made them more comfortable because they don’t have to always think they are competing and they don’t have to feel bad about their rank. I think it is less beneficial for the more competitive kids.”

Number 7 in the class of 2019, Lindsay Rongo, added, “I would like to know my rank to see if I went up or down and maybe push myself to improve because of it. I also plan on playing lacrosse in college, and when I fill out recruiting questionnaires, they ask my class rank and class size. I do feel like I am at a disadvantage now because I don’t know where I fall compared to other students in my school.”

Five years ago, Southampton Schools got rid of class rankings, including valedictorian and salutatorian.  This new system forces college acceptance committees to take a closer look at students’ extracurriculars.

As a junior in the class of 2019, I don’t see the purpose in eliminating class rank until all colleges choose to do so in their applications. Students work extremely hard to bump up their class rank and are being blindsided with the loss of it. It would be a better choice for the administration to start the elimination of class rank with the new freshmen class, so that they start and end all four years the same.

As we strive for greatness and to become better students the elimination of class rank will only hurt us as we start looking for colleges.