Important Notes from the Latest ACT College Readiness Report

Another round of deadlines is quickly approaching for students who wish to take college entrance exams. The ACT has five remaining test dates, while the SAT offers four more tests for this year’s class.

Upcoming ACT Test Dates (Registration Deadline)
December 14, 2019 (November 8, 2019)
February 8, 2020 (January 10, 2020)
April 4, 2020 (February 28, 2020)
June 13, 2020 (May 8, 2020)
July 18, 2020 (June 19, 2020)

Upcoming SAT Test Dates (Registration Deadline)
December 7, 2019 (November 8, 2019)
March 14, 2020 (February 14, 2020)
May 2, 2020 (April 3, 2020)
June 6, 2020 (May 8, 2020)

ACT results for the Class of 2019 recently revealed record-low rates for college readiness in English and math. Among the 1.8 million test takers from last year, only 59% reached the ACT benchmark of 18, while 39% reached the math standard of 22. Overall, 37% of 2019 graduates met 3 out of 4 benchmarks, while 36% of students failed to meet any of the standards that indicate college readiness.

In addition, the average ACT composite score was 20.7. Among states where more than 50% of students took the test, South Dakota and Iowa placed the highest at 21.6. Connecticut and Massachusetts, two states where roughly 20% of students take the ACT, had the highest averages as a whole at 25.5. Only Nebraska, Ohio, Utah, and Wisconsin scored an average of 20 or higher for the 15 states where nearly all students took the test.

To ensure that all students are college-ready after high school, the ACT’s latest report provided four key recommendations:

1. Academic rigor.
2. Personalized learning.
3. Continuous improvement.
4. Holistic education, particularly in social and emotional learning.