48 out of 278.

For some, these are just random numbers.

But for me, this was my class rank when I began applying to colleges. (And before you start judging, I had to search through A LOT of emails to find this number!)

These numbers helped me get into the college I attend today.

Across the nation, there is a new trend for high schools to get rid of class rank. Whether their reasons are to make a less competitive learning environment or otherwise, I don't like it.

Competition is necessary for a successful life. It drives you to strive to be your best. It makes you work harder.

I understand that these school's may be trying to create a more positive environment for their students, but removing class rank will only hurt them.

In order to get into a good college, a student has to have a good GPA, class rank and extracurriculars, as well as many other elements.

At my high school, our GPA and weight system were different than other schools. Does it matter locally at that high school? No. But when students begin applying to colleges, they run into trouble. On paper, graduates from my high school just don't look as good as those from other high schools.

Our GPAs seem lower, despite earning high marks and taking multiple AP classes. If my high school were to remove class rank, how much worse would I look against students who attended other schools?

The idea behind removing class rank is positive. It's an effort to improve the climate of the schools. However, it won't help students in the long run.