Data Sources

Data Citations and Methodologies

Data Source Citations on CollegeSimply

Data are refreshed from public and private data sources on an annual basis, shortly after data sources are updated. Schools rankings and listings presented are all algorithmically computed based on publicly available data sets and no schools pay to be included or rank on the website. The most recent data update occurred in February 2025. CollegeSimply draws from the following data sets.

How CollegeSimply Presents College Admission Chances

Below is a brief explanation of the admission chance ratings you will find on this website. Chances are estimated from data published by the US Department of Education or licensed from Peterson's College Data.

Admission Competitiveness

Admission competitiveness ratings and descriptions
Competitiveness Description
Strong A score estimated to be at or above the 75th percentile for applicants admitted to the school, including scores higher than the traditional range.
Avg + A score estimated to be above the median for applicants granted admission but less than the 75th percentile.
Avg - A score estimated to be lower than the median for applicants granted admission, but above the 25th percentile.
Reach A score estimated to be below the 25th percentile but still within the range of applicants granted admission.
Low A score estimated to be lower than the traditional range for applicants granted admission.

Estimated Admission Chance Calculation

Estimated admission chance percent is computed by measuring the test score's relative strength amongst other historically admitted students, combined with the school's overall acceptance rate. In the case of many top tier schools, a test score or GPA may be in the top quartile of competitiveness admission chances are still low due to high competition amongst many qualified applicants. Admission chances are directional estimates only to help quantify a score's impact on your application.