Score and rank answer different questions
A score describes performance on the test scale. A rank describes position compared with other applicants or candidates.
That distinction matters when schools are oversubscribed. A school may only need a qualifying score before applying distance. Another may allocate by rank order. Another may use a combination of score bands, priority groups and distance.
Example
Two children both qualify. One has a higher test score, but the school gives priority to children in a defined area once they qualify. Depending on the policy, the lower-scoring child may still have higher admission priority.
What to check
- Whether the school publishes a qualifying score.
- Whether the school ranks by score after qualification.
- Whether distance or priority area comes before score.
- What tie-break is used when scores are equal.
- Whether last year’s rank or score tells you anything reliable for this year.
Do not compare numbers without the policy
A score only becomes meaningful when you know how the target school uses it.