<p>"If a class had 801 students, and #200 had a 750 score, and #201 had a 740 score, I could see reporting the 75th percentile as 745, without feeling that it was a lie."</p>
<p>The issue is NOT the margin of error; it is how Middlebury appears the be the only school that is NOT following the rules. The 75th percentile has to be a unit of ten, and not the average between numbers. Other schools do not seem to misunderstand how to report the numbers consistently.</p>
<p>Again, it shows the lack of care and concern for accuracy, as well as USNews lack of any reasonable questioning of a number that is BLATANTLY incorrect in its expression. Further, for what it is worth, I happen to believe that the reported 745 is entirely imaginary. </p>
<p>I understand that schools routinely report average SAT scores, and that the numbers of the average SAT is not necessarily the same as the average of the 25%-75% percentile.</p>
<p>PS Vossron, my reference to the IRS was different: a lot of companies file their taxes based on unaudited statements.</p>