The Condition of College and Career Readiness: 2014

ACT recently released their annual report on the college readiness of the incoming college class.   

In addition to listing policy suggestions and recommendations, it summarized the following findings:
 

• The percentage of graduates meeting the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks in 2014 remained relatively steady.
  • The number of students achieving the science benchmark increased only slightly, from 36% in 2013 to 37% in 2014, while the number of students attaining the math benchmark dropped from 44% in 2013 to 43%. There was no change in the percentage of students meeting the English and reading benchmarks.
  • 26% of students met all four of the college readiness benchmarks (science, math, English and reading).
• 57% of Asian students and 49% of white students met at least three or more college readiness benchmarks, compared to 23% of Hispanic students and 18% of African American students. Students who meet at least three benchmarks have a much stronger chance of success in their first year of college than those who meet fewer than three.
• 86% of ACT-tested graduates indicated a desire to attend college.
  • Among the 87% with the same aspirations in 2013, only 69% actually enrolled.
  • Closing this gap could result in an increase of over 300,000 students enroll in postsecondary education.
• 80% of students tested selected a major they planned to study in college. The most popular choice was nursing, followed by medicine, business, and mechanical engineering.
  • Fewer than 50% of students choosing these majors met all four of the college readiness benchmarks.