Why are my chances presented in three different colors?
When estimating chances,
College 500 uses three different colors to help visually differentiate how likely you are to get into each college and university.
We use a pink color to designate "reach" schools, those schools that we estimate that you have a less than 40% chance of being accepted to.
We use a green color to designate "target" schools, those schools that we estimate that you have between a 40% and 65% chance of being accepted to.
We use a blue color to designate "safety" schools, those schools that we estimate that you have a greater than 65% chance of being accepted to.
Why is my chance of getting into a college reported as "<1%"?
If your chance to get into a college is displayed as "<1%", it may be because that college requires a test score that you did not provide (e.g. a school may require an ACT score but you only provided an SAT score).
How accurate are the estimated chances?
The estimated chances shown are based on two main criteria: (1) how your actual or projected test scores compare to those of currently enrolled students, and (2) the acceptance rate of the college.
If your test scores compare favorably, then you're going to have a greater chance of getting in than the reported acceptance rate.
If your test scores do not compare favorably, then you're going to have a lower chance.
But colleges take into consideration a much broader set of criteria than test scores, and employ some level of subjectivity that is impossible to capture in a mathematical model, including essays, interviews, recommendation letters, and what is known as "demonstrated interest."