Posted on 08/22/2006 3:42:14 PM PDT by ark_girl
Average composite scores on the exam, which measures students' readiness for college-level work, rose to 21.1 from 20.9 last year. Both boys and girls posted gains, as did all racial groups except Hispanics, whose scores held steady. ACT scores range from 1 to 36. Officials at the independent, nonprofit ACT said an increase of 0.2 points is significant when considered across a record 1.2 million test-takers nationwide, or 40 percent of graduating seniors. "It takes an enormous amount of change for that large a group to move even a little bit, particularly when that group is changing and we're seeing more students take the ACT for the first time," said Richard Ferguson, CEO of the Iowa City, Iowa-based organization.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Pray tell, how is it that the test scores were higher under both of the Bush Presidencies than under Clinton?
I'll bet your kid was the number one reason! :)
Haven't kept up with the ACT and SAT tests since my kids were taking them.
Is this real, or have they added 100 points to the score for writing your name (or "X", as the case may be)?
OK, I'll be mean. How much has the percent of homeschooler's taking them increased?
They did "re-normalize" the SAT a few years ago, to make up for the fact that the average was consistently sliding.
Don't know about the ACT.
I'd like to see the projected "G" trend.
The ACT is scored over four parts, English, Math, Science Reasoning, and Reading. All of those sections are worth a maximum of 36 points each and they are all four averaged together to find the composite score. The ACT Writing test is optional and is scored on a scale of 12 points but it is reported completely separate from the regular test. The name thing is untrue.
That is also untrue for the SAT, which is scored in three parts... 800 points for writing, 800 points for critical reading, and 800 points for mathematics.
Don't bet on it. The education trolls must make sure they appear to be doing something positive... besides drug boys and tell them how to "feel"!
Bush's fault
"They did "re-normalize" the SAT a few years ago, to make up for the fact that the average was consistently sliding."
You have it backwards. The average SAT score has been RISING and perfect scores and 1500+/2300+ scores are getting more common. The test was recentered in 1994 because the average score had risen above what it was intended to be (1000). As of today the theoretical average should be 1000, but its slightly higher (around 1030, I believe).
the article doesn't mention 'recentering' of scores, but an increase of test-takers from historical SAT-taking states. Locall, in VA, historically an SAT state, more students are taking the ACT to offset any shortcomings on the SAT.
What grabbed my attention in the article, tho, was how many students were below their benchmark for anticipated success in college. It seems today there are too many colleges and universities that hand out degrees that are basically worthless, while students struggle and parents pay out big bucks simply because of the need for a college degree ... any college, doesn't matter what they offer or the actual ability of the students. They seem to be paper mills, and those 'college degrees' are less meaningful educationally than a high school diploma from an earlier era.
SAT used to be 2 parts Math & Verbal Max 1600 points
There was a writing/essay you could take but not always required.
Of course that was a bit over 38 years ago ... sheesh! How long ago??!
I also took a battery CLEP tests at TAMU that summer.
American high school students marginally less stupid than originally thought.
I don't understand how the article about missing benchmarks, has anything to do with low requirements for college degrees.??? Maybe I missed something but I don't think so. Could you please explain what makes you think that?
sat and act score changes should be heavily discounted; these tests IIRC have been changed a couple of times (i.e. made easier to get higher scores on) in the last 20 years or so.
"ACT officials said the numbers are encouraging but still show too few students are prepared for college-level work. Only 21 percent of test-takers scored the benchmark indicating they are likely to succeed in college on each of the four exams -- math, English, reading and science. More than two-thirds hit the benchmark score in English, but barely one-quarter did in science.
"This doesn't mean they won't be successful and graduate from college, but it does increase the likelihood they will struggle or need remediation along the way," Ferguson said."
My theory is that a lot of students are going to college who maybe shouldn't be going to college. Too many of these colleges are worthless, but kids and parents want a college degree, period. So NNU can let them attend for four years, charge a small prince's ransom, hand them a piece of paper, and on they go .. no better educated than before.
Too many people I know have gone that route ... instead, we might look into some really fine vocational schools with real live practical uses for the training. AND at considerably less expense.
Does that makes sense?
I agree completely with the vocational school approach. They used to be a great alternative for those that didn't want to go to college (or couldn't afford it, or couldn't get it). I think we have gone too far in encouraging every kid to get a college degree. College isn't for everyone.
With that being said, I think most 4 year universities are issuing real degrees, and requiring pretty substantial work. There are many people that start college and never finish. I think it is a big jump to assume that college degrees aren't worth anything. Businesses would be screaming about it if that were the case.
SAT renormalized at least twice and recently revamped. No longer standard, no longer 'aptitude' and no longer comparable.
Sorry, but you have it exactly wrong. The combined scores were moved upward by nearly 100 points. The rationale was that the lower averages were misleading because a larger pool of students with "different" demographic characteristics were taking the test. Moreover, the test was made easier beginning the 1990s by dropping analogy and antonym questions. Then there is also the introduction of calculators and expanded "special accomodations." The SAT is very politically charged, and it has been massaged in other ways in an attempt to get the results for girls and minorities that liberals in academia want. If the 1964 tests were given today under strict third party supervision, it is likely that the results would be quite ugly.
No...Olie Okie was right. SAT scores were artificially inflated upwards. The new scoring system gave students better scores than the old system would have, to a certain extent covering up a slide in student performance.
The SAT was "recentered" in 1996. A pre-1996 verbal score of 730 became a "perfect" 800. Here's ETS score conversion table:
http://www.collegeboard.com/sat/cbsenior/equiv/rt019019.html
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