How We Calculate Overall Score
Our scoring system uses a transparent 9-factor formula based entirely on publicly verifiable data. No bias, no paid rankings — just objective metrics.
Why We Built This System
Choosing a yoga teacher training program is a significant investment of time, money, and trust. We believe you deserve complete transparency about how we evaluate schools.
Our Overall Score aggregates data from four major review platforms — Google, Tripaneer, Facebook, and Tripadvisor — plus the school's years in operation. By combining these factors with carefully calibrated weights, we provide an objective snapshot of each school's credibility.
Every piece of data we use is publicly available, so you can verify it yourself.
Platform-Based Presence Detection
We treat each review platform as a unit. A platform is considered "present" if the school has either a rating OR reviews on that platform. If both metrics are zero, the school has no presence — and neither metric is included in the calculation. Their combined weight is proportionally redistributed to active platforms, ensuring fair scoring regardless of which platforms a school uses.
Aligned with Google's E-E-A-T Framework
Experience · Expertise · Authoritativeness · Trustworthiness
🧭 Experience
Years in Business (12%) rewards real-world operating history.
🎓 Expertise
Tripaneer (21% combined) prioritizes niche-specific yoga reviews.
🏛 Authoritativeness
Cross-platform verification from 4 independent sources.
🔒 Trustworthiness
Rating quality weighted 3× over review volume on secondary platforms.
The 9 Factors
Each factor contributes to the final score based on its weight (redistributed when data is missing)
Example Calculation
Here's how we calculate a sample school's Overall Score with all factors present:
Sample Yoga School
| Factor | Value | Score (0-100) | Weighted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Rating | 4.8/5 | 96 | 20.2 |
| Google Reviews | 150/400 | 38 | 6.5 |
| Tripaneer Rating | 4.6/5 | 92 | 13.8 |
| Years in Business | 10/20 yrs | 50 | 6.0 |
| Tripadvisor Rating | 4.5/5 | 90 | 10.8 |
| Facebook Rating | 95% | 95 | 8.6 |
| Tripaneer Reviews | 20/30 | 67 | 4.0 |
| Tripadvisor Reviews | 30/50 | 60 | 3.0 |
| Facebook Reviews | 15/20 | 75 | 2.3 |
Example: Platform Presence Detection
School without Facebook page:
Facebook Rating: 0%, Facebook Reviews: 0 → No Facebook presence
Both Facebook factors (12% combined) are redistributed to other active platforms.
School with partial Facebook data:
Facebook Rating: 100%, Recommendations: 1 → Has Facebook presence
Rating counts (9% weight), and review score is floored at 50% via Minimum Contribution Floor.
Minimum Contribution Floor
For secondary platforms (Facebook, Tripadvisor, and Tripaneer), if a school has a positive rating, the review count score is floored at 50%. This ensures genuine positive presence is never penalized.
How it works:
2 Facebook reviews (raw: 10%) + positive rating → review score becomes 50%
15 Facebook reviews (raw: 75%) → no change, already above the floor
Score Labels Explained
We translate numeric scores into easy-to-understand labels
Excellent ✓
Top-tier established schools with exceptional track records
Very Good ✓
Strong reputation and proven track record
Good ✓
Solid schools actively building their presence
Emerging ✓
Newer schools growing their reputation
New ✓
Recently established programs
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Report a Scoring Issue
Think a school's score doesn't look right? Let us know.
Ready to Find Your Perfect School?
Now that you understand how we evaluate schools, start exploring and comparing programs.