Does anyone know how the AI is calculated? Looks like a combination of GPA and test scores but not sure about the calculation. Is there an AI calculation for ACT test takers? [/quote]
Hi. I am the Dad who made the first reference to AI on this thread. The AI is not a number that is known to you. It is a proprietary formula that takes into account GPA, some premium for AP or Honors courses, standardized test scores and some other factors that are not disclosed or quantified for us the consumers. If you Google search, you will find a number of AI calculators. However, please also Google the NY Times articles on this topic and they are quite good to explain that the AI recipe is not given out and that most of the tools to calculate it on the internet are inaccurate.
My understanding from college coaches who are interested in the candidacy of my 2017 son is that the soonest there are viable inputs for there to be an AI output is in the sophomore year. What is given and is known is standardized test scores have an input weight and that the minimal set of grades is one full year of transcripts to calculate weighted and unweighted GPAs. Of course the college coaches recruiting your son will be quite interested in his progress, including grades he has made in school already in 9th grade, but for this year keep the terminology correct. It is progress toward and AI that is needed to be able to qualify your son to be recruited AT ALL. The NY TImes articles echo what we were told...there can be a marginal candidate who passes through, but that marginal candidates in this definition set are still good students with good grades and scores (a 3.3 kid with 1100 SATs like a zillion others? that is my crude guess). Also, once your son has an AI, the coach recruiting him has no obligation and likely will not tell you what the specific score is. But he will tell you "yes, I can recruit your son because he meets our non-lacrosse requirements."
If you believe your son is the ringer of the class and the coach will "get him in no matter", then I just don't know. I rather doubt it if we are talking about a B/C student with 50th percentile standardized scores going to Princeton or Yale. For the rest of us I think the correct information is to be aware that grades, standardized test scores and AP courses are very desired and to focus on having those in good order to be a student athlete candidate at an Ivy.
The pot I seem to have stirred was to call out that Ivies won't be taking any verbal commits from the 2017s this academic year. The best you can do now is establish with the coaches if your son is a lacrosse candidate, and come back next year with the academic goods to ensure that spot is your son's with the academic side also showing strong credentials. Going on believing your son is a lights out lacrosse player and none of this matters is not a viable path.
