A student's list grade is determined by the mix of schools in their list and how well balanced it is.
The grade is calculated based on these parameters:
- Each school is categorized into likelies, targets, reaches, and unlikelies based on its selectivity and the student's academic performance relative to the school's admitted students
- The resulting mix of schools is compared against a reference standard. For a balanced list, the student should have at least 2-4 likelies, 3-5 targets, 2-6 reaches, and 0 unlikelies in their list. It's really important to make sure students have realistic likely and target schools to avoid disappointment come April.
- The list is assessed and graded accordingly. If the list is balanced, it will be graded an A. If it needs work, the grade will be lower and the student will be prompted to take corrective action. The good news is that College Kickstart will tell you how to take corrective action. With MixFixer, they are empowered to identify schools that meet the criteria for each categorization and run scenarios to re-grade their list.