| Student management > Grading > Running grading calculations > Calculating class ranks
[Applies to secondary schools only]
You can calculate class ranks based on the cumulative GPA assigned to the class rank definition or, if your district has set up GPA/class rank reporting terms, you can choose to calculate class ranks based on a term GPA. For more information about term GPAs, see Calculating term GPAs [>>].
With a cumulative GPA, class ranks are calculated to the end of the year. With a term GPA, class ranks are calculated using a cumulative GPA calculation but only to the end of the selected term. The term class rank can be stored, which enables you to track class ranks for each term in a school year.
Note: Although you can store multiple class rank calculations, you can select only one class rank calculation to be rolled over to the next school year during Year-End Processing.
Cumulative and term GPA class rank calculations are run independently of each other; running a term GPA class rank calculation does not override any cumulative GPA class rank calculation results.
Note: You must run cumulative GPA calculations before you can calculate class ranks. If student grades were changed since the last time cumulative GPAs were run, you must run cumulative GPA calculations again before calculating class ranks. To be sure results are up-to-date, always run cumulative GPA calculations first, and then immediately calculate class ranks.
From the Grading page, you can run class rank calculations. Once the class rank calculations are complete, you can override ranks for individual students.
Class Rank Calculation Eligibility
To be eligible to be included in class ranks calculations, the student must:
| = | Meet all criteria in the class rank definition, including, if applicable, rules covering withdrawal codes, minimum number of days enrolled in the district, and minimum number of credits earned; and |
| = | Have a cumulative GPA value. |
If a student's ineligibility is suspect, a ? appears in the left column on the Student Ranks page. A student's ineligibility is considered suspect if the student is missing yearly credits earned or credits earned for course grade items because if the student's credits earned were not missing, the student might be eligible.
Understanding Precision When Calculating Class Ranks
The cumulative GPA definition specifies the precision, or number of decimal places, in the calculation result. The displayed result is rounded to the precision specified, even though internally PowerSchool SMS stores and uses numbers with more decimal places.
PowerSchool SMS uses the stored precision, not the display precision, when calculating class ranks and when determining ties. Therefore, it is possible for students displaying an identical GPA to be ranked differently.
For example, let's say the cumulative GPA definition specifies three decimal places. If the stored cumulative GPA for student A is 3.2568 and for student B is 3.2566, both students' GPA would be displayed as 3.257 because they are rounded to three decimal places. However, student A would be ranked higher than student B because PowerSchool SMS uses the stored value and not the displayed value when calculating class ranks.
To see full precision values, run the Cumulative GPA Report.
If the calculated class rank is not appropriate, you can manually override class ranks. For information about overriding a student's rank, see Overriding Stored Class Ranks [>>].
Students ranks page
When class ranks are calculated, the results appear on the Student Ranks page [Figure 76]. This page has two tabs:
| = | View the most recent calculated student ranks for a grade level in a class rank definition. |
| = | Recalculate student ranks. |
| = | Store calculated ranks. |
| = | Stored - This tab only appears if class ranks have been stored previously. |
| = | View the last stored student ranks for a grade level in a class rank definition. |
| = | Override a student's calculated rank. |
| = | Manually assign a rank to students who are deemed ineligible to be ranked by the criteria the school has set up. Note:A left column displays if if there are special indicators for any student. |
| = | A tilde (~) indicates the calculated rank has been manually overridden. |
| = | A question mark (?) indicates the student's eligibility is in question. |
| = | A caret (^) indicates an ineligible student's rank has been overridden. |
For more information about how class ranks are defined, see Creating class rank definitions [>>].
Calculating student ranks[SA]
Figure 75: Calculate rank
| A | Select rank calculation type |
Figure 76: Student ranks
| A | Grade Level - The grade level you selected on the Calculate Class Ranks page. |
Overriding stored class ranks[SA]
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FAQs
Divide your class rank by the number of students in your grade, multiply by 100, then subtract that number from 100. For example, if there are 600 students in your grade and you are ranked 120th, then you are in the 80th percentile because (120/600)*100=20, and 100-20=80. You are also in the top 20% of your class.
How do I know if I am in the top 10% of my class? ›
Schools calculate a student's class rank by taking their GPA and assessing it in relation to individuals from the same graduating class. If your grade has 100 students, and your GPA is better than 90 of them, then you are ranked number 10 and you're in the top 10 percent of your graduating class.
Is 30% a good class rank? ›
Earning a place in the 25% of your class is a good place to be for most colleges. For top tier schools and the entire Ivy League, most students aim for the top 10%.
What class rank is 25%? ›
Each quartile represents 25% of the students in the class, based on their cumulative GPA or other criteria used by a high school for ranking students. Here's a brief breakdown of the quartiles: 1. First Quartile (top 25%): These students have the highest GPAs and are in the top quarter of their class.
How to calculate the rank? ›
You can calculate the percentile rank using this formula:Percentile rank = p / 100 x (n + 1)In the equation:
- p represents the percentile.
- n represents the total number of items in the data set.
A 3.3 GPA is a strong GPA, falling within the range of the top 25-30% of students. But it may not guarantee admission to highly selective colleges. Admissions committees consider many factors when making their decisions, including GPA, test scores, extracurricular activities, recommendations, and essays.
Is a 3.7 GPA good? ›
A 3.7 GPA is a Grade Point Average of 3.7 on a 4.0 scale. It indicates that you've earned a predominantly A- average in your courses. A 3.7 GPA is considered to be a very good GPA and is often an indicator of strong academic performance.
Is top 10% of class rank good? ›
Top 10%: If you're in the top 10% of your high school class, it means you're among the best students in your school. Ivy League colleges appreciate this because it shows consistent academic success. Top 5% (or higher): Going further, achieving a class rank in the top 5% or better is even more impressive.
Do colleges care if you are valedictorian? ›
While being valedictorian can boost your admission chances, being top-ranked isn't always necessary for acceptance into top schools. Admissions officers also value 'softer' aspects like essays, extracurricular activities, and recommendation letters—you need them in addition to strong grades.
Is 3.1 a good GPA? ›
Is a 3.1 GPA Good? A grade of B demonstrates good performance, making a 3.1 a “good” GPA. Most colleges (if not all) accept applications from students attaining a 3.1 GPA, especially considering that it exceeds the national average for graduating high school seniors.
A 3.4 is comfortably above the national average GPA for high school graduates and is considered competitive at most colleges and universities. It also approaches the 3.5 GPA that more selective schools use as an unofficial benchmark.
Is a 3.5 GPA good? ›
As a top-letter grade, a B+ or A- is considered "good." A 3.5 GPA means that a student consistently performs well on homework, tests, and projects in every subject, making it a desirable GPA across the board.
How do I calculate class rank? ›
To determine class rank, each student's GPA is calculated and then compared. At most schools, class rank can be found on a student's transcript or report card. How's that work in practice? Well, if there are 400 people in your grade, you will be collectively ranked from 1 to 400.
Is 4.09 GPA good? ›
Here, the answer depends on the college, but most like to see unweighted GPAs of 3.0 or above. On the weighted scale, a strong GPA could range from 4.0 to 5.3, indicating to colleges that you're taking challenging courses (Advanced Placement, Dual Enrolled, etc.) and keeping up A's and B's.
What percentile is a 4.0 GPA in high school? ›
A 4.0 GPA, or Grade Point Average, is equivalent to an A letter grade on a 4.0 GPA scale. This means it is equivalent to 93-95%. The national average GPA is 3.0 which means a 4.0 is far above average.
How is class rank decided? ›
Class rank is a way to measure how your academic achievements stack up against other members of your grade. Class rankings are determined by ordering students from highest to lowest according to their GPAs (which can be weighted or unweighted depending on your high school). The higher your GPA, the higher your ranking.
What is an example of a class rank? ›
Your class rank measures where you stand academically compared to others in your graduating class. For example, if you have a GPA of a 3.7 and your friend has a GPA of 3.8, your friend will rank higher than you do. Class rank may be used as a number (such as 6th in a class) or as a percentile (top 25% of a class).
How do you calculate class score? ›
If your teacher or professor uses a total points system, you first need to add up all of your grades. Then, add up how many points were possible for each of those grades. Divide how many points you earned by the number of points possible, and you will determine your class grade.
What GPA is class rank based on? ›
Class Rank is based on a cumulative weighted grade point average, using the scales below, where classes receive the weight by course level (College and Career Prep, Honors, Advanced Placement, and Dual Enrollment).
