The national ACT report released Wednesday shows Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts students continue to score above the state and national average and are better prepared to excel in college.
In 2012, ASMSA students received an average composite score of 26.7. The average composite score for the state was 20.3 and the national average is 21.1.
“Students at ASMSA continue to set the curve for academic excellence and college preparation in Arkansas,” said ASMSA Director Corey Alderdice.
The ACT is scored on a scale of 1 to 36, with 36 being the highest possible score. The 90 ASMSA students tested received the following average scores in each testing area:
English - ASMSA 27.2, state 20.0
Math - ASMSA 26.5, state 20.0
Reading - ASMSA 26.8, state 20.6
Science - ASMSA 25.7, state 20.1
In addition to test scores, ACT measures how prepared students are for college coursework. Using actual grades earned by college students, ACT sets readiness benchmarks for English composition, college algebra, introductory social science (reading), and biology. The benchmarks specify the minimum scores needed on each subject-area test to indicate a student has a 50 percent chance of earning a grade of B or high or about a 75 percent chance of earning a C or higher in a typical first-year college course in that subject area.
Seventy-two percent of ASMSA students met or surpassed the benchmarks in all four areas, compared to 19 percent at the state level.
ACT scores show a strong relationship between high school course taking and college and career readiness. All ASMSA classes are taught at the college level and the school offers 40 classes that allow students to earn college credit. Many of the school’s graduates begin college at the sophomore level, and some even enroll in junior level classes.
“Beyond the advanced learning opportunities these talented young people receive at ASMSA, we also encourage our students to become familiar with the ACT,” Alderdice said. “The combination of confidence in the subject areas assessed and comfort with time management and test-taking strategies help students to continually improve their scores.”
Students applying to ASMSA must initially take the ACT during their sophomore year as part of the admissions criteria. Students generally see an increase in their ACT scores during their two years at ASMSA.