My Chances

How should My Chances be used? 

How competitive the student will be at a particular university or college is based on several factors. Some factors are measurable, others are immeasurable. Use “My Chances” to weigh some of the measurable factors using test scores and grade point average. Keep in mind the value and weight of the many immeasurable factors as well.

Examples of immeasurable factors:

• Academic: rigor of secondary school record, class rank, recommendation
• Nonacademic: interview results, extra-curricular activities, talents, first generation, legacy, geographic location

There is also value in using My Chances to predict merit scholarship opportunities.

What college data is used to calculate My Chances?

Each year colleges report test and grade point averages from the recently enrolled freshman class. This data is the baseline for the My Chances gauges.

My ACT and SAT Score Comparisons college data

Red:	25 percentile	indicates 25% of the enrolled senior students had scores in this range.
Yellow:	50 percentile	indicates 50%  of the enrolled senior students had scores in this range.
Green:	75 percentile	indicates 25%  of the enrolled senior students had scores in this range.

Some highly competitive colleges do not have a green range in all of their gauges. This indicates a school where the enrolled freshman class score range is very narrow.

Colleges have the option of reporting the secondary GPAs of their enrolled, degree-seeking, first time, first year (freshmen) students. These GPAs are placed in ranges and given percentages. Note that there is a wide variation nation-wide and internationally on how GPAs are calculated at the secondary level.

What student data is used to calculate My Chances?

The student’s Superscore test scores used for the comparisons are on the Tests Scores section of GuidedPath. The Superscore takes the highest of each section and calculates a new composite score. This is done for both ACT and SAT tests.

The student’s unweighted GPA is used from the Student’s profile in the Academic Information section.

How to interpret My Chances?

My Chances displays how a student's test scores and GPA compares to those of enrolled freshmen on the campus in three measurements:

1. My ACT and SAT Score Comparisons shows the color-coded bottom 25%, middle 50%  and top 25% of test scores of enrolled freshmen students. If available, the average ACT or SAT score provided by the college is shown in an orange dot on the same graph.

Exact student scores are represented by a blue line with their exact superscores and how they compare on the range of freshman student scores. This places their scores on the gauge in a red, yellow or green range.

2.  ACT and SAT Distribution table shows the percent of freshman students with scores in a distribution range.

The distribution chart is a rich data source, fine tuning the range of reported test scores by distribution into five columns. The distribution chart is organized by standard increments. This chart is much more precise than the mid 50%, because of the details included. The student’s superscored ACT and SAT are shown in the very right column for quick comparison to the enrolled freshmen student distribution.This helps a student visually see how their score compares in the distribution of test scores of enrolled students at the university.

3.  GPA Admissions Rate displays the percent of GPAs of enrolled freshmen using a 4.0 scale.

The GPA chart displays the percentage of students who had high school grade-point averages within each of the listed ranges (using 4.0 scale).  The student’s unweighted GPA from the profile is included as a subheading.

Disclaimer: My Chances is not a guarantee or a prediction of admission. It is a comparison of data.