Written By: Alexandra Steyn

Excellence. The word is on the Rye Country Day Website. It is in the fall newsletter. It can be found throughout the school. A tradition of excellence: that is what RCDS advances, and that is what RCDS students exemplify. Out of that tradition of excellence comes a drive for and focus on grades. Despite the school’s recent move towards Competency Based Learning, a competitive atmosphere is still the reality at RCDS. Competition for grades is commonplace at many schools, which is no less true here.

A poll conducted on Upper School students across the four grades found that 84% agree that RCDS students are highly competitive for grades, with 58% of those students strongly agreeing with the statement. 78% of students ranked the level of competition, on a scale from 1 (very low) to 5 (very high), as a 4 or 5. These numbers indicate that most students recognize the existence of competition for grades at RCDS and that this competition can be found at a high level.

The consensus as to the reason for competition for grades was simple: college. Because RCDS is a college preparatory school, students focus on the overall goal of college acceptance and compete against each other for the best grades to best position themselves best for college acceptance. One student, kept anonymous through the form, said that the cause for competition is “the ever looming idea of ‘college.’ I think RCDS, as a college prep school, makes it easy for this competition to fester because of its success rates in college processes.” However, there is little consensus as to the implications of such competition. While competitive atmospheres often carry a negative connotation, this assumption is not necessarily true. When asked about the result of competition for grades, some students responded with increased stress levels and anxiety, while others spoke about better performance on assessments and higher work ethics. Melody Wu ’28 agreed that friendly competition is “probably positive,” saying, “It pushes you to work harder, so you learn more.”

As an alumna of RCDS and dean of students, as well as an English teacher and advisor, Mr. Kyle has a front row seat to competition for grades between students. Pointing out the important difference between self-competition and competition against peers, Mr. Kyle recalled, “When I started 9th grade, my advisor told our house that each of you are competing against yourself, and I remember thinking that was an interesting and healthy idea.” Although competing against oneself may be beneficial, he recognizes that when competition for grades turns into students comparing themselves to others, negative outcomes can result. This competition is intensified through the college process. Referencing the increased pressure on students to gain admittance to top colleges, Mr. Kyle said, “[Students] carry the perception that getting into a ‘good’ college is not only about how well they do, but how well they stack up against their peers.” That perception can lead to “paralyzing” levels of stress that only hurt a student’s performance.

Yet while a student may feel alone in the competitive atmosphere, Mr. Kyle offered  a reminder that they are not. “The most significant thing, which is definitely better now than it was when I was a student, is the active efforts of teachers to work as partners with their students,” he said. “A student can go into class knowing that the teacher is an ally and is invested in the student’s success.” If a student ever finds themselves overwhelmed or stressed, they can reach out to their teachers for help and support.

Competition for grades exists at high levels at Rye Country Day. However, the direct implications of competition are mixed and vary from student to student. As the year progresses, it will be interesting to view the fluctuation of competition and its influence on students.