Frequently Asked Questions - Class of 2026 and Later
Please Note: The following applies to recruits in the Class of 2026 and later, beginning July 1, 2025. For FAQ's prior to this, click here.
How do you calculate a Power Index?
We assign Power Points to each of your swim times—based on how they compare to the times need to qualify for the NCAA Division I championships—and then calculate a weighted average using your top four events. Learn more about the full recruiting formula and how you can calculate your own Power Index here.
Why do you use this formula?
It’s built to match how college coaches evaluate swimmers—focusing on speed, event strength, and relay potential. We analyzed millions of swims and consulted coaches to create a formula that is transparent, consistent, and easy to understand for swimmers and families, while delivering actionable insights for recruiters. The goal isn’t to reward versatility or penalize specialization—it’s to build a simple, consistent measure that coaches can trust and that swimmers and families can understand.
Why are 50s included when they aren’t swum at NCAAs?
While the 50s of stroke aren’t NCAA championship events, they are increasingly valuable indicators of relay strength and sprint power at dual meets and conference championships. Coaches told us these swims help them easily identify recruitment fits—so we adjusted our formula to reflect real-world coaching needs.
Why is my Power Index lower compared to another swimmer with the same times?
Power Indexes are calculated by graduation class, and base times typically get faster each year. Even with identical swim times, a younger class (e.g., 2026) will likely be measured against faster benchmarks than an older one (e.g., 2024), resulting in a higher (weaker) score.
Why is my Power Index missing?
This can happen for one of three reasons:
- Missing Graduation Year - Required to place you in the right class. To update it go to your recruiting settings
- 9th Grade or Younger - Power Index calculations start the summer after 9th grade. This delay ensures fairness across regions since high school swimming seasons vary nationwide.
- Not enough events - A Power Index requires at least two distinct events with recorded times to generate a ranking.
Why does Swimcloud only show one course (SCY/SCM/LCM) per event?
We choose the course where you score best for each event. If your 100 LCM time scores better than your 100 SCY, you’ll only see the LCM result. This ensures we showcase your strongest performance, while still allowing flexibility across course types for up to four events.
It seems like the base times for meters are harder than yards. Why?
Because U.S. college swimming is conducted in yards, we maintain separate base times for SCY, SCM, and LCM to fairly assess both domestic and international swimmers. On average, international recruits begin college at older ages, but consistent yard-based metrics allow for accurate comparisons.
It seems like there's a benefit to being a sprinter. Is this the case?
To some extent, yes. In American college swimming events 100 yards or shorter account for more than half the points in championship meets, and relays make up over a third. Our formula gives added clarity to sprint and relay strengths—because that’s what coaches use when building high-performing teams.
Are converted times used for the Power Index?
No—all swims are scored only against actual times. We maintain base times for each course (SCY, SCM, LCM), so conversion formulas aren’t needed.
Why hasn't my Power Index changed?
If your new times are significantly better, you should see an immediate improvement in your Power Index. If you don’t see a change, it is typically because the changes so minor that any changes are not apparent when the scores are rounded to two decimal places.
Unlike the Power Index, updates to state and national recruit rankings are not immediate. These rankings are recalculated overnight due to the sheer volume of changes that happen every day. After updating your times, please allow until the next day to see adjustments to your rankings. Checking back the next day will provide the most accurate and updated reflection of your standing among peers.
Why don't you include Open Water events in the Power Index score?
Open Water events aren't included in our Power Index calculation because there isn't an NCAA qualifying time. All our Power Indexes are based on NCAA D1 Qualifying Times.
And, it isn't possible to normalize Open Water result times. A 5k in one venue doesn't always relate to a 5k in another venue. Weather and venue conditions vary greatly from race to race. All our Power Indexes are based on NCAA D1 Qualifying Times. For more information, please see our article on Calculating Your Power Index Recruiting Score.
We recommend swimmers contact collegiate coaches directly to advocate for their open-water prowess.