Since the 1950s, Ivy League schools have been using a secret ranking formula called the Academic Index (AI). Top Tier Admissions Co-Founder, Dr. Michele Hernandez, in her book A is for Admission, was the first to reveal this formula to the public. As part of our commitment to making the college admissions process more transparent, Top Tier Admissions brought the Academic Index Calculator to the web 16 years ago, enabling college applicants to calculate their college admission ranking online.
THE ACADEMIC INDEX FORMULA
Traditionally, the AI formula combined a student’s rank in their high school with standardized test scores to map out their strength on a scale of 1 to 240 (240 being #1 rank with all perfect test scores on US tests like the SAT).
The Academic Index was designed specifically to regulate athletic recruitment (in the Ivy League colleges, 15-20% of the first-year class is made up of recruited athletes for their sports teams). The AI was computed for all enrolled students as recruited athletes had to be within a certain standard deviation (academically speaking) of the rest of the student body. For many years, the AI was calculated using a “Converted Rank Score” derived from a student’s rank in high school, the average of three SAT subject tests (which are no longer required), and the average SAT (or converted ACT composite), each on a scale of 80. For a small subset of private schools that did not rank, an unweighted GPA was used in place of a rank.
The Academic Index has been modified since it was first developed. As more and more high schools both in the United States and abroad moved away from reporting a class rank—and to make conditions more favorable to recruited athletes— the Ivies changed the formula by replacing the “Converted Rank Score” with a simple, unweighted GPA conversion called the “CGS” or “Converted GPA Score.”
To further simplify the athletic recruitment process, SAT Subject test scores were dropped from the AI calculation. The College Board’s decision to discontinue the Subject Tests essentially codified that decision. The updated formula now simply adds together your highest SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score and Math score (or converted ACT) and your CGS.
ACADEMIC INDEX: “SCORE OPTIONAL”
Some recruited athletes may be admitted under the “score optional” rubric, but the majority of recruited athletes do still need to report scores so their AI can be calculated. In general, the Ivies have used “score optional” slots for under-represented minority students, socioeconomically disadvantaged students, and a select number of high-priority athletes.
ACADEMIC INDEX: COURSE RIGOR
Although the AI does not take academic rigor into account, keep in mind that admissions officers look very closely at rigor of curriculum. It is not enough to simply have all As in “easy” classes – admissions officers will look for high-level AP or IB classes, even for recruited athletes.
All the top colleges factor “rigor of curriculum” into the admissions decision. Rigor is typically ranked using a 1-4 scale with 4 as the most difficult. This ranking is typically reported to college by the high school college counselor and reflects the counselor’s assessment about how a student’s program ranks relative to others in that particular high school. If, for example, your high school offers 25 AP courses and all the top kids take 10-12 and you have only 5, you will lose points in course load rigor. Likewise, if the top kids at your school all take BC Calculus by 12th grade and you are in precalculus or AB Calculus, or don’t take the requisite number of lab science classes, you might lose points.
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ACADEMIC INDEX: INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
For international students, rank is gauged slightly differently. IB students taking four HL courses (rather than the usual three) or students in UK schools pursuing four A-level courses (rather than the usual three) will rank higher in rigor.
If you are not a recruited athlete, please take the AI with a grain of salt as your RANK in class (or if your high school does not officially rank, your weighted GPA or unweighted GPA) is still the most important criteria followed by rigor of courseload, academic awards, SAT/ACT results and AP/IB scores.
Though AP/IB scores, as well as predicted IB and A-level results, are not factored into the AI formula, keep in mind that admissions officers DO in fact look for those scores and factor them into their decision making. Top scores on these external assessments will always strengthen your application.
Work with a Top Tier Admissions expert to understand exactly what you need to do to maximize your odds when applying to college.
Dr. Michele Hernández has written the best-selling books: A is for Admission, The Middle School Years, Acing the College Application and Don’t Worry You’ll Get In which she wrote with Mimi Doe.
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2 replies on “Calculate Your Academic Index: The Secret Formula”
Didn’t test-optional just make the AI obsolete?
Thank you for your question. The AI was developed by the Ivy League in order to ensure that the academic credentials of athletic recruits were within one standard deviation of those of each school’s student body. The need to monitor athletic recruiting persists, even in a test-optional process. Although the Ivies are test-optional, the vast majority of admitted and enrolling students at each Ivy actually do submit test scores. Because of this, the Ivies continue to calculate AIs.