Are high school grads really ready for college? ACT scores fall to lowest mark in 30+ years

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IOWA CITY, Iowa — High school students’ scores on the ACT college admissions test have dropped to their lowest in more than three decades, showing a lack of student preparedness for college-level coursework, according to the nonprofit organization that administers the test.

Scores have declined for six straight years, but the trend accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the ACT, a non-profit based in Iowa City. Students in the class of 2023 whose scores were reported Wednesday were in their first year of high school when the virus reached the U.S.

“The hard truth is that we are not doing enough to ensure that graduates are truly ready for postsecondary success in college and career,” Janet Godwin, chief executive officer for the nonprofit ACT, said in a statement.

Average scores declined in every academic subject, Godwin noted.

“We are also continuing to see a rise in the number of seniors leaving high school without meeting any of the college readiness benchmarks, even as student GPAs continue to rise and students report that they feel prepared to be successful in college,” Godwin said. “These systemic problems require sustained action and support at the policy level. This is not up to teachers and principals alone – it is a shared national priority and imperative.”

The average ACT composite score for U.S. students was 19.5 out of 36. Last year, the average score was 19.8.

The proportion of students in the Class of 2023 that didn’t meet any of the ACT’s college-readiness benchmarks is higher than ever before, Inside Higher Ed reported. Only 21% of all students met every benchmark, in math, science, reading and English, while 43% met none of the benchmarks, according to the data.

ACT research shows students who meet those benchmarks have a 50% chance of earning a B or better and nearly a 75% chance of earning a C or better in corresponding courses, The Associated Press said.

About 1.4 million students in the U.S. took the ACT this year, an increase from last year. However, the numbers have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Godwin said she doesn’t believe those numbers will ever fully recover, partly because of test-optional admission policies.

As standardized admissions tests have come under fire amid criticism that they favor the wealthy and put low-income students at a disadvantage, many universities have made them optional. Some, including the University of California system, do not consider ACT or SAT scores even if submitted.

Scores are still helpful for placing students in the right college courses and preparing academic advisors to better support students, Godwin said.

“In terms of college readiness, even in a test-optional environment, these kinds of objective test scores about academic readiness are incredibly important,” Godwin said.

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