Calculate an academic index from GPA, SAT, and ACT scores, plus a clearly labeled legacy illustration and the USG Freshman Index. These values do not predict admission.

This site’s custom formula combines SAT and ACT. It is not an official admissions index.

Related Calculators

Academic Index Formula

The following formula is used for the Custom index calculation in this calculator. This is a simple weighted index and is not an official Ivy League Academic Index or a universal admissions standard.

AI = (2 × GPA + SAT / 10 + ACT / 2) / 4

Variables:

  • AI is the Academic Index (custom, as defined by the formula above)
  • GPA is the Grade Point Average (typically on a 4.0 scale)
  • SAT is the total SAT score (out of 1600)
  • ACT is the ACT composite score (out of 36)

To calculate this calculator’s Custom index AI, multiply the Grade Point Average by 2, divide the total SAT score by 10, and divide the ACT composite score by 2. Add these three results together and then divide by 4. (In many real admissions contexts, a school uses either SAT or ACT according to its policy rather than combining both scores.)

What is an Academic Index?

“Academic Index” can refer to different numeric rating systems used to summarize academic readiness. There is not one single, universally accepted Academic Index formula used by all colleges. A well-known example is the Ivy League–style Academic Index often discussed in the context of recruited athletes, typically reported on a 60–240 scale and based on standardized testing plus a converted class-rank (or similar) measure. Some public university systems use different readiness indexes (for example, the University System of Georgia “Freshman Index”). The legacy illustration preserves this tool’s previous arithmetic, including linear GPA/rank conversions; it is not verified as an institutional Ivy League method. The USG choices use the published USG formulas with an official core high-school GPA, not a simple rescaling of weighted or percentage grades. Choose the calculation and unknown from the selector.

How to Calculate Academic Index?

The following steps outline how to calculate the Academic Index (AI) for the Custom index formula shown above.

  1. First, determine the Grade Point Average (GPA), typically on a 4.0 scale.
  2. Next, determine the total SAT score (SAT) out of 1600.
  3. Next, determine the ACT composite score (ACT) out of 36.
  4. Next, multiply the GPA by 2.
  5. Next, divide the SAT score by 10.
  6. Next, divide the ACT score by 2.
  7. Next, add the results of steps 4, 5, and 6 together.
  8. Finally, divide the sum from step 7 by 4 to calculate the Academic Index (AI).

Example Problem:

Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.

GPA = 3.5

SAT = 1200

ACT = 28

Using the Custom index formula: AI = (2 × 3.5 + 1200/10 + 28/2) / 4 = (7 + 120 + 14) / 4 = 35.25.