Chariot Learning
  • About
    • FAQ
    • Our Curriculum
    • Areas Chariot Learning Serves
  • Services
    • SAT & ACT Prep
    • SAT/ACT TestFlip
    • Academic Coaching
    • Subject Tutoring
    • Strategic Reading Club
    • Proctored Practice Tests
    • GRE Prep
    • College Essay Coaching
    • Roots2Words
  • Calendar
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Contact
April 20, 2022 by Mike Bergin

College Readiness Benchmarks

Often, we focus so much on high stakes tests that we fail to recognize them merely as intermediate steps to a larger goal. The SAT and ACT, for example, matter quite a lot, but mainly only for students striving for their choice of four-year college. And while we sometimes miss the big picture, the test makers always keep that test-to-college connection firmly in view.

This, in a nutshell, explains why ACT, Inc. provides ACT College Readiness Benchmarks. The College Readiness Benchmarks are the minimum scores in each section of the ACT associated with a 50% chance of earning a B or better and approximately a 75% chance of earning a C or better in the corresponding college course or courses.

  • ACT English is associated with introductory English Composition classes. The ACT Benchmark for English is a scale score of 18, which is approximately 39th percentile.
  • ACT Math is associated with College Algebra courses. The ACT Benchmark for Math is a scale score of 22, which is approximately 61st percentile.
  • ACT Reading is associated with Social Sciences courses. The ACT Benchmark for Reading is a scale score of 22, which is approximately 61st percentile.
  • ACT Science is associated with introductory Biology courses. The ACT Benchmark for Science is a scale score of 23, which is approximately 70th percentile.

How college and career ready are today’s HS graduates?

According to ACT’s report on The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2019, a little more than a quarter of last year’s high school grads met all four readiness benchmarks. Yes, obviously a lot has happened in K-12 education since 2019, but this is the last report issued since then, and we have no reason to believe current high school graduates are more prepared for higher education than the pre-pandemic cohort!

Based on the 1.78 million graduates—52 percent of the US high school graduating class, students seem to be most prepared in English but declining a bit in all areas:

English: 59% – – – Reading: 45% – – – Mathematics: 39% – – – Science: 36%

Only 26% of the testing population hit readiness benchmarks in all four subjects, down from a disappointing high of 28% in 2015. So, based on this single assessment, nearly three-quarters of high school students do not project as entirely college ready.

Other factors certainly play into success in college, but the implications of these benchmarks suggest that more can be done to prepare teens for the academic rigors of higher education. Considering that, according to the National Student Clearinghouse longitudinal data, the national six-year college completion rate is only 62.2% as of 2021, a pervasive lack of academic readiness has unfortunate long-term personal and societal ramifications.

(We first published this post in 2015 but try to update it regularly.)

ACT college readiness test scores

Previous articleWhat is a Flipped Classroom?Next article The Value of Test Preparation
Mike Bergin
Tens of thousands of students a year prep for the SAT & ACT through programs Mike Bergin created or organized. After more than 25 years of intensive experience in the education industry, he's done it all as a teacher, tutor, director, curriculum developer, blogger, podcaster, and best-selling author. Mike founded Chariot Learning in 2009 to deliver on the promise of what truly transformative individualized education can and should be.

Helping high schoolers with tests, school, and life is what Chariot Learning is all about. Let us know how we can help you!

Latest Posts

  • Can You Accept Criticism?
  • Happy Pi Day!
  • College Admissions Testing for the HS Classes of 2024 and 2025
  • A Scholarship for Word Nerds
  • Foundational Math on the SAT & ACT

What is TestFlip?

Learn about the ultimate in self-directed supplemental SAT/ACT prep, powered by Chariot Learning:

Subscribe to Mike’s Podcast

Subscribe to Tests and the Rest

PARENT GROUP AND NEWSLETTER

Are you an Upstate New York parent with questions about college admissions, testing, and scholarships? The Upstate NY College Conversations Facebook group is for you. Join today!

And also sign up for College Road, our free email newsletter delivering expert educational advice, test news, admissions action steps, special offers, and more.

Testimonials

We really appreciated your help and knowledge of the test- as well as all the helpful hints and things to look out for-I just wish we had found you earlier! We will keep you in mind for our next son...

Beth & Keith, Webster parents

Read more testimonials...

PODCAST

Tests and the Rest is the ultimate college admissions industry podcast. Join Mike Bergin and Amy Seeley every Tuesday and Friday as they discuss the latest issues in testing, admissions, learning, and education with leading experts.
© 2023 Chariot Learning, LLC. All rights reserved.