Class ranks like valedictorian (first in the class) and salutatorian (second in the class) can be a controversial topic among students and administrators. Some believe that our school is missing the hierarchy among the senior class, while others find that the ranks can be subjective or exclusive to a certain group of students.
There is no doubt that earning the title ‘valedictorian’ is special, but what qualifies a student to be presented with that? The answer is their GPA. In order for a student to have a high GPA and be given the rank, there would need to be a multiplier- like advanced placement (AP) classes for example. AP classes have a 1.1 multiplier on a student’s GPA, so it can be advantageous for the possible competition. Here at South, there is no class rank, but students like Sabine Stackhouse ’27 believe there should be.
“I think that we should have a valedictorian and class ranks because there are people who strive their whole high school career to work towards something like that,” Stackhouse said. “It can be beneficial as a sense of motivation for a lot of students and also a reward at the end of their senior year.”
Although some students may believe that class ranks should be put in place, the administration doesn’t agree. Counselor Beth Walsh-Sahutske, who graduated from South, at a time with class ranks, and has worked here since 2007 sheds light on why, in 2024, there isn’t one.
“Class rank is simply a measure of your grade point average (GPA),” Walsh-Sahutske said. “It’s not a measure of the demand of the curriculum or the rigor of the curriculum, and because we have so many different varying degrees of rigor in the curriculum, you could be taking less rigorous curriculum and getting a higher GPA. So it doesn’t really represent that this is our top student.”
A class rank accumulates throughout the four years a student is in high school and could possibly be detrimental to the college admission process as colleges would be able to see what a student’s rank is- whether the top or bottom. Isabelle Romolino ’25 reflects on her opinion of the matter, while she agrees with the possible advantages, the disadvantages outweigh them.
“Class ranks can be a privilege and an honor, but can also hinder the college application process,” Romolino said. “It can be confusing, and with the added class ranks it could possibly tip the scales for a student’s admission. I wouldn’t want to be the last in the class and if everyone can see that, it would hurt my confidence.”
Although there are two sides to this matter, it can be important to look at why, as a school there isn’t a valedictorian or salutatorian. It seems as though the process could be considered unfair and that is something both sides agree on. Could this change in the future? It’s possible, but that is the administration’s call.
“Top-tier high schools across the nation don’t rank and that’s because it is going to hurt the kids,” Walsh-Sahutske said. “These policies are built to keep in mind the most helpful thing for our Grosse Pointe students as they move on from here. Everybody wants to set up our students for their next best step.”
