January 11th, 2014 5:48pm
Well, each class has a different formula for determining their IIEA score. The lower the class, the more the formula gives your group a boost. The scores closest to FMA are the World class scores, and the Novice class scores generally get a 20-30 point boost compared to the FMA scores. Its sorta a very large spread sheet that modifies different captions in different ways and its hard to give a general explanation. The scores also have a randomizer put in so scores can vary up to .5 of a point. Also, the forumla changes from week to week to make it seem like the scores are going at much more steady rate. Week 1 World class colorguards can only get a maximum score of a 92 in week one because their scores tend to be so much higher than drumline's scores.
Generally if a group hasn't competed in an IIEA show I put them in Novice but sometimes (like it almost did here) it breaks the system and they get a score of 104 or something and so I just have to bump them up haha.