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Gem Ranks

Pressure makes diamonds

Nine ranks named after precious stones mark your intellectual growth. Rank is earned through the quality of your engagement, the educational value of your work and how you perform when challenged.

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What you get

Why Gem Ranks works

Engagement quality

A like on your post is worth 2 points. An “insightful” is worth 5. A comment marked helpful earns 3.

Educational value

Publishing earns 10 points, passing a post’s quiz earns 4, and classroom challenges earn up to 20 depending on your score.

Challenges and debates

Winning a challenge is worth 40 points and winning a debate 50. These are the fastest way up the ladder.

Ranks can fall

Declining a challenge costs 25 points, and having content removed by moderators costs 40. Inactivity will not demote you — avoidance will.

How it works

Using Gem Ranks, step by step

  1. 1

    Start at Quartz

    Every account begins clear. Your first post and your first accepted challenge start the climb.

  2. 2

    Earn points by contributing

    Every scored action is recorded in a ledger you can inspect on your profile.

  3. 3

    Cross a threshold, change gem

    When your total crosses a rank’s threshold your gem changes everywhere on Zelo — and changes back if you fall below it.

The rules

Fair-play limits

Daily caps stop anyone farming points, so rank reflects sustained effort.

Posts
Only your first 3 posts each day earn publishing points.
Comments
Only your first 10 comments each day earn points.
Reactions
Each reader’s reaction to a given post counts once, and reacting to your own post counts for nothing.
Quizzes
Passing a post’s quiz is rewarded once per quiz. You cannot earn from a quiz on your own post.

The ladder

Nine ranks, one direction

  1. Quartz

    0 points and above

    Every mind starts clear. You have joined the hub and begun contributing.

  2. Amber

    150 points and above

    Your curiosity is taking shape. You post, comment and answer challenges.

  3. Jade

    400 points and above

    A steady contributor whose work other students find useful.

  4. Topaz

    900 points and above

    You win challenges and hold your ground in debate rooms.

  5. Amethyst

    1,800 points and above

    A recognised voice in your subjects, consistently insightful.

  6. Sapphire

    3,200 points and above

    Deep knowledge, strong record. Students seek out your work.

  7. Emerald

    5,500 points and above

    A leader in the community who raises the standard of discussion.

  8. Ruby

    9,000 points and above

    Rare excellence sustained over a long period of contribution.

  9. Diamond

    15,000 points and above

    The summit. Brilliant, resilient and proven under pressure.

Questions

Good to know

Can I buy points or a rank?
No. Zelo Plus adds tools, not points. Rank can only be earned.
Do ranks reset?
No. Your total carries over, and the public leaderboard also shows who has earned the most in the last 7 and 30 days.
Where can I see why my points changed?
Your profile shows a full ledger of every award and deduction, with the reason and date.

Keep exploring

More of Zelo

Content Feed

Essays, poetry, research, art, infographics, video and audio — sorted by subject and level.

Read on

Debate Rooms

Timed rounds, evidence on the table, an audience vote and a moderator’s scorecard.

Read on

Challenge Center

Call out a classmate: quiz duel, debate, writing task, design brief or problem set.

Read on

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