sorting strings in arrays

[Gsterminator]

The objective of my program is to sort a file of students in order from a-z using arrays. I'm using selection sort method but for some reason my code is matching what i want. for example:
Enter name of a file of Students: student10.txt

In forward order, students are:
Sally (100)
Rico (82)
Sue (95)
Bill (43)
Rob (67)
Meng (94)
Pam (82)
Harvey (72)
Rich (45)
Debra (88)

Now sorting ...

In forward order, students are:
Debra (88)
Rich (45)
Harvey (72)
Pam (82)
Meng (94)
Rico (82)
Rob (67)
Bill (43)
Sally (100)
Sue (95)
//please help...

import java.io.*;
import java.util.Scanner;
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
class Hw21
{
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
   public static void main (String [] args) throws Exception
   {
      Scanner kb = new Scanner(System.in);

      System.out.print("\nEnter name of a file of Students: ");
      String filename = kb.nextLine();

      Section section = new Section(filename);

      System.out.println("\nIn forward order, students are:");
      section.print(System.out);

      System.out.println("\nNow sorting ...");
      section.sort();

      System.out.println("\nIn forward order, students are:");
      section.print(System.out);
   } 
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
} // end class Hw21
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
class Section
{
   private Student [] a;
   private int used;
   private static final int INIT_SIZE = 20;
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
   public Section ( String filename ) throws Exception
   {
      Scanner sc = new Scanner(new File(filename));

      a = new Student[INIT_SIZE];
      used = 0;

      while ( sc.hasNext() )
      {
         Student s = Student.read(null,sc);

         if ( used == a.length )
         {
            Student[] newA = new Student[2*a.length+1];
            for ( int i = 0 ; i < used ; i++ ) newA[i] = a[i];
            newA[used] = s;
            used++;
            a = newA;
         }
         else
         {
            a[used] = s;
            used++;
         }
      }
   }
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
   public void print ( PrintStream ps )
   {
      for ( int i = 0 ; i < used ; i++ )
      {
         ps.println(a[i]);
      }
   }
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
   public int howMany() { return used; }
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
   public void sort ()
   {
      for ( int i = 0 ; i < used-1 ; i++ )
      {
			int minIndex = i;
         String last = a[i].getName();
			for(int j = i+1; j<used; j++)
			{
				String next = a[j].getName();
				if (last.compareTo(next)> 0)
				{
					minIndex =j;
  				}
				else
				{
				
				}
				Student temp = a[minIndex];
				a[minIndex]= a[i];
				a[i] = temp;

			}
			
			
		}

   }
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
} // end class Section
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
class Student
{
   private String name;
   private int grade;
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
   public Student ( String name, int grade )
   {
      this.name = name;
      this.grade = grade;
   }
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
   public String toString ()
   {
      return name + " (" + grade + ")";
   }
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
   public String getName() { return name; }
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
   public int getGrade() { return grade; }
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
   public void setGrade( int newGrade ) { grade = newGrade; }
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
   public static Student read ( PrintStream ps, Scanner sc ) 
   {
      if ( ps != null ) ps.println("Reading a Student record ...");
      if ( ps != null ) ps.print("Enter the name: ");
      String name = sc.nextLine();
      if ( ps != null ) ps.print("Enter the grade: ");
      int grade = sc.nextInt(); sc.nextLine();
      return new Student(name,grade);
   }
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
} // end class Student
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

[mKorbel]

Collections.sort(Student);

[stultuske]

here's a nice link on sorting Arrays, could take a look at that while you're on the subject

Sorting arrays

[Taywin]

Do you have to implement your own sort() method? If you do, then you need to pick a sort algorithm (i.e. bubble sort, gnome sort, etc.) before you can do the sort. If you do not, use those Collection or Array methods as mKorbel and stultuske provided.

[Gsterminator]

actually yes i have to create a sort method and i'm using selection sort.

[Taywin]

OK, comparing your selection sort algorithm with Wikipedia, something doesn't look right...

// Wikipedia
/* a[0] to a[n-1] is the array to sort */
int iPos;
int iMin;  // <-- *** declare outside the loop, but yours is inside the loop
 
/* advance the position through the entire array */
/*   (could do iPos < n-1 because single element is also min element) */
for (iPos = 0; iPos < n; iPos++) {
  /* find the min element in the unsorted a[iPos .. n-1] */
 
  /* assume the min is the first element */
  iMin = iPos;
  /* test against all other elements */
  for (i = iPos+1; i < n; i++)
    {
      /* if this element is less, then it is the new minimum */  
      if (a[i] < a[iMin])
        {
          /* found new minimum; remember its index */
          iMin = i;
        }
    }
 
  /* iMin is the index of the minimum element. Swap it with the current position */
  if ( iMin != iPos )  // <-- *** you do not have this condition check,
  {                    //     *** but you swap elements right away (line 88-90 in your code)
    swap(a, iPos, iMin);
  }
}