A How to Guide to Scattergrams, Your GPA, the NEW SAT

A How To Guide to Scattergrams, Your GPA, the NEW SAT

In constructing your college list, you will want to use Naviance Scattergrams to estimate your chances of admission for the schools that interest you. This document will provide you with guidance for how to use these graphs this summer to guide your college list-building process.

Step 1: Calculate your Junior Year GPA Your updated GPAs will not be uploaded into Naviance until the fall, so you will need to calculate your Cumulative GPA at the end of Class II, for use with Naviance scattergrams.

1) Add the points assigned to each final grade (i.e. A= 4, B+ in an AP course = 4.3,....). 2) Divide the total by 6 and this is your junior GPA. 3) Multiply your end of sophomore year cumulative GPA (see Naviance) by 2 and add your junior GPA. 4) Divide the total by 3 and this is the end of junior year cumulative GPA that will appear on your transcript next year.

Step 2: If you are using a score from the new SAT, convert your score to an old SAT score. Naviance has not yet developed a way to plot new SAT scores on their graphs/scattergrams, so you will need to convert your new SAT scores using the SAT Score Converter.

You can find the score converter in three places: 1) In a link on the electronic version of your score report 2) On the college board website 3) On your phone, if you download the College Board SAT Score Converter App

To use the score converter you will need your total score (1600 scale), your score from each section (800 scale), and your section scores for Reading, Writing and Language, and Math (40 point scale). You can find all of these scores in Naviance on the About Me Tab, under Test Scores.

Once you enter this data, you will see a new score, which represents your converted SAT score. Please note two very important things:

1) Nearly all scores on the new SAT are higher than those on the old SAT. This means, the converted score you see WILL be lower. 2) While the two main sections of the old SAT equal 1600 points, and the new SAT also equals 1600 points, the grading is not equivalent. If you plot your new SAT scores without conversion on the Naviance scattergrams, you will be using inaccurate information.

Step 3: If you are using a score from the old SAT, make sure you are using the right scale If you have not taken or do not plan to take the new SAT, you can use your scores in their current form. Just be sure to only include the Verbal and Math sections of the SAT if you are looking at a graph that is on the 1600 point scale.

Step 4: Write down your GPA and Test scores and Plot Yourself on A Graph Use the figures you have now determined for your cumulative GPA at the end of Junior Year, and your appropriate SAT scores to plot yourself on the scattergrams for schools that interest you. Ignore the red circle that Naviance is currently using to represent you – it is inaccurate.

Use the guidelines presented in Class 6: Building Your College List to determine whether any given school is a likely, possible, or reach school for you. And remember –if there are under 5 data points, you’ll need to consult the college’s website and rely on external data.