How Alumni Placement Score (APS) Works — 2026 Methodology

A simple alumni headcount treats every roster spot the same, whether it’s on an NCAA Division I team or an NCCAA team — and that undersells programs whose alumni are placing at higher competitive levels.

Raw Alumni Placement Score (APS) is CBI’s answer: each alumnus currently active on a four-year roster is weighted by that roster’s level, and Raw APS is the sum of those weighted values.

Raw APS is the primary ranking metric on any leaderboard using this model, replacing simple alumni headcount. Efficiency APS is Raw APS divided by a program’s total alumni count, showing placement quality per alumnus independent of program size; it’s displayed for context but does not affect the ranking order. Total alumni (“Overall”) remains visible as its own column on every board. When two or more colleges have the same Raw APS, win percentage is used as the tiebreaker, with the higher win percentage ranking higher. These weights are a first version of the model — CBI expects to refine them as more data becomes available.

An Annual Snapshot, Not a Transfer History

These counts are an annual snapshot, updated as alumni move levels year to year (JUCO to D2, then D2 to D1, for example) — not a full transfer history. A player’s tracked level reflects where they’re playing right now, at the time of each reporting period.

What Win-Loss Record and Win Percentage Do (and Don’t) Tell You

Win-loss record and win percentage are shown for context about a program’s current season and are used strictly as the tiebreaker when two or more colleges have the same Raw APS. They reflect how a team is performing on the field this year — a program that is winning now is still producing on the field, but that is not a guarantee about the success of a future transfer class. Raw APS and Efficiency APS are about placement outcomes for alumni already in four-year programs; win percentage is a separate, current-season signal, not a predictor of what a team’s next graduating class will do.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Raw APS?

Raw APS is the sum of a program’s alumni counts at each four-year division, with each division weighted by competitive level (NCAA Division I = 5.0 down to USCAA = 2.0). It’s the primary sort metric on CBI leaderboards using this model.

What is Efficiency APS?

Efficiency APS is Raw APS divided by a program’s total alumni count. It shows placement quality per alumnus, independent of program size, so a smaller program can still post a high Efficiency APS even if its Raw APS ranks lower. It’s shown for context and doesn’t affect ranking order.

Why these specific weights?

The current weights are a first version of the model, reflecting a general ordering of competitive level across NCAA Division I, II, and III, NAIA, NCCAA, and USCAA. CBI expects to refine these weights as more data becomes available.

Does the division-level breakdown appear on the public leaderboards?

No. The underlying breakdown of alumni by division is used to calculate Raw APS and Efficiency APS but isn’t shown as its own column. Total alumni (“Overall”) stays visible on every board.

Does a strong win percentage mean a program will produce a successful transfer class?

No. Win percentage reflects how a team is performing on the field this season and is used only as a tiebreaker when Raw APS is equal. It’s a current-season signal, not a prediction of future placement outcomes for that program’s next class of transfers.

A Dated, Versioned Methodology

This page documents the Alumni Placement Score methodology as applied to the 2026 reporting year. If CBI updates the weights or formula in a future season, a new dated methodology page will be published rather than overwriting this one — each season’s leaderboards will continue linking to the specific methodology that was in effect when those rankings were calculated.

Insights reflect data available at time of publication and are subject to change.