Earlier today, Monday, Feb. 10, Westside High School Principal Jay Opperman sent out an email to students and staff of Westside High School regarding class rank and whether it should be removed. In the email, Opperman explained class rank and listed possibilities of different metrics which could replace it. Guidance counselor Lisa Hatch said she feels class rank has become obsolete.

“Over the last few years, [administration] has been looking at different [high] schools in the metro and different college requirements and saw a lot of schools are moving away from class rank,” Hatch said. “[One reason schools are moving away from it] is the competitiveness among students and another is the changing academics.”

According to Hatch, the Millard and OPS school districts have gotten rid of class rank and veered towards systems which place students in different groups based on percentile.

“For the students in the top 10-15%, [getting rid of class rank] would reduce some stress,” Hatch said. “I know class rank is always something in the back of [students in the top 10-15%] minds that they take into account when choosing classes.”

According to Hatch, these students try to push themselves to take the group four and five classes in hopes of raising their class rank even if those classes aren’t areas of interest for them. Sophomore Claire Wing said she feels school would be better without class rank.

“I am all for [class rank being discontinued] because it creates a stress in all students’ lives that is unneeded,” Wing said. “Class rank is super competitive which is understandable, but at the same time most of the people in the top 60 have 4.0 GPAs.”