Updated: January 2023
Students and parents frequently reference their (or their child’s) admissions chances based on the Scattergrams displayed in Naviance, the online counseling tool at their high school. We always caution that Scattergrams tell a very limited story and that they should be utilized with the following context.
To the uninitiated, Scattergrams plot the admissions decisions received by previous students who applied from that high school to a particular college or university. The Scattergram graph uses the X-axis for standardized test scores and the Y-axis for GPA to give prospective students a snapshot of their chances for admission.
Some key things to keep in mind about the limits of Scattergrams:
Often, admission results are self-reported by the student. There are no controls in place for the accuracy of results!
The data is collected over preceding years and is a very small sample size. Most colleges are getting more selective each year, so a student that was admitted even a year or two ago might not be admitted in the current or upcoming admissions cycle.
The two variables used, GPA and test scores, are frequently not the two most important factors considered by colleges. More schools than ever are now test-optional. Most schools will look closely at academic rigor and like to see it on an upward trajectory over the four years of high school. Many give important consideration to the essay and extracurriculars. Colleges have their own enrollment objectives that can change from year to year. Additionally, there’s no way of knowing whether the students included on the Scattergram were recruited athletes, legacies, or had another “hook” desired by the college or university.
Scattergrams usually don’t reveal whether the student applied Early Decision, Early Action, or Regular Decision, which can significantly affect one’s admission chances.
The GPA utilized for Scattergrams is usually the student’s final GPA after senior year, not the GPA they used when submitting applications in the fall of senior year. Many times, their final GPA is lower due to Senior Slide or Senior Slump in the spring. Therefore, GPAs on the Scattergram may be skewed lower.
It’s important to keep in mind that Scattergrams offer a VERY limited window into the admissions outcomes for the given group of students. The breadth of variables upon which colleges base their decisions is not reflected in this simple diagram. For colleges or universities that are more numbers-driven, they may be more useful. For highly selective schools and those that read more holistically, Scattergrams are less useful as outcomes are harder to predict based on these two variables.
Use Scattergrams with caution!