Dive Brief:
- The average ACT composite score of 19.4 from the class of 2024 was slightly lower than the 19.5 earned by their peers who graduated the year before, according to results released by ACT Education Corp., a college admissions assessment provider.
- Additionally, 57% of high school graduates in 2024 met one or more of ACT's College Readiness Benchmark in English, math, reading and science. First-year college students who meet ACT's benchmarks have about a 50% chance of earning a B or better and a 75% chance of scoring a C or better in their corresponding college courses, according to ACT.
- Many colleges and universities shifted their admissions policies to be test-optional or test-free during the pandemic. While many are continuing these policies, others are reinstating the requirement, causing high school seniors to be more strategic when it comes to applying to colleges.
Dive Insight:
ACT said a record high of 78% of exam takers who graduated in 2024 tested through state and district programs that provide free school-day testing to students.
"When students are able to test during the school day at no cost to them, it opens doors to postsecondary, scholarship, and career opportunities for many students who didn’t know that college could be an option," ACT CEO Janet Godwin said in a statement.
Overall, about 1.4 million students in the class of 2024 took ACT exams at least once in 10th-12th grade, which was comparable to the class of 2023.
Starting next spring, ACT said, the national online tests administered on weekends will be shorter and offer more flexibility for students. Beginning with the September 2025 test, all students testing on a Saturday, either online or on paper, will see these new features. Schools and districts will have these options starting in spring 2026.
ACT announced earlier this year it partnered with Nexus Capital Management, a private equity firm, to form a public benefit company.
Like the ACT, the class of 2024's performance on the nonprofit College Board's SAT — another college admissions assessment — dipped when compared to 2023 graduates. The average SAT total score was 1024, compared to 1028 for the class of 2023, according to a College Board release issued Sept. 24.
More than 1.97 million students from the class of 2024 took the SAT or PSAT at least once. That's up from the 1.91 million test-takers from the previous graduating class. Additionally, school day testing for the SAT reached a record high of 1.35 million students, the College Board said.
Last year, SAT launched digital PSAT and SAT exams that the organization said were shorter and easier for test takers.
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