The 2009 Act National Test

The 2009 ACT National Test-Taking Population: Overview

Introduction

Why does this information matter to enrollment professionals? The majority of colleges and universities
require a standardized test score (ACT or SAT) for admission. Since this is the case, it is important for
professionals making judgments about students on the basis of such scores to understand how
particular students compare to the larger universe of ACT test-takers. Even if you are located in a SAT-
dominant state, you are likely to receive ACT test-reports from geographically distant students or those
students who prefer to complete the ACT in lieu of the College Board examination. Table 2 provides the
percentage of graduating seniors by state who complete the ACT. Note that the states are rank-ordered
from highest percentage of test-takers to lowest percentage of test-takers. Please note that in Spring
2008, all public high school eleventh graders in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, and
Wyoming were tested with the ACT as required by each state. Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan,
and Wyoming students who met ACT's 2009 graduating class criteria are included in the 2009 graduating
class average score results.

Table 3 provides the most recent ACT/SAT concordance scores. This table will allow you to assess SAT
Critical Math and Reading Total scores with ACT Composite Scores (and vice-versa).

The ACT is intended to be a test of college readiness. While most are familiar with the academic
achievement component of the ACT (English, math, reading, science, and writing [optional]); students
also provide information regarding high school grades and course information, demographics, and
career interests.

While developing an understanding of what a particular composite or subject area score might mean is
important, the ACT does more than measure preparation for college. Information collected at the time
of the ACT forms the basis for college student search selections. As such, understanding how well
represented our institutional selections are in the larger population of ACT test-takers should structure
our expectations regarding the relative availability of students for enrollment.

In recent years, American College Testing has provided College Readiness Benchmark scores to
educational professionals and students. These scores reflect student performance on the various
subsets of the ACT examination. Essentially, a benchmark score is the minimum subject area test score
needed to indicate a 50% chance of earning a B or higher or a 75% of obtaining a C or higher in selected
college courses. The College Readiness Benchmark scores are:

Table 1. ACT Subject Area Benchmark Scores – 2009.

College Course/Course Area ACT Subject Test Benchmark Score Needed
English Composition English 18
Algebra Mathematics 22
Social Sciences Reading 21
Biology Science 24

Additional information about the ACT examination and benchmark scores can be found at www.act.org.

www.millercook.com Page 1


Table 2. Percentage of 2009 ACT-Tested High School Graduates who complete the ACT examination and
average ACT Scores by state (Source: American College Testing, 2009).

State % Grads Average Average Average Math Average Average
Tested Composite English Score Score Reading Score Science Score
Score
Colorado 100 20.8 20.1 20.5 21.1 20.8
Kentucky 100 19.4 18.8 19 19.8 19.7
Michigan 100 19.6 18.6 19.6 19.6 20.1
Wyoming 99 20 18.9 19.8 20.4 20.2
Illinois 97 20.8 20.5 20.7 20.8 20.7
Mississippi 93 18.9 19.1 18.3 19 18.7
Tennessee 92 20.6 20.7 19.8 21 20.4
Louisiana 89 20.1 20.3 19.6 20.2 20
North Dakota 78 21.5 20.7 21.5 21.8 21.6

Alabama 76 20.3 20.5 19.5 20.7 20.1
Kansas 74 21.9 21.4 21.7 22.4 21.8
South Dakota 74 22 21.2 21.8 22.3 22

Arkansas 73 20.6 20.6 20.1 21 20.2
Nebraska 72 22.1 21.9 21.8 22.5 22
Oklahoma 71 20.7 20.5 19.9 21.4 20.5
Minnesota 68 22.7 22 22.7 23.1 22.6
Utah 68 21.8 21.4 21.1 22.6 21.6
Missouri 67 21.6 21.5 20.9 22.1 21.5
Wisconsin 67 22.3 21.7 22.2 22.6 22.3
New Mexico 65 20 19.3 19.6 20.7 20

Ohio 64 21.7 21.1 21.4 22.2 21.7
Florida 62 19.5 18.7 19.7 20.2 19
West Virginia 62 20.7 20.8 19.6 21.4 20.5

Iowa 59 22.4 21.9 21.9 22.9 22.4
Idaho 58 21.6 20.9 21.3 22.3 21.4
Montana 54 22 21.2 21.7 22.7 21.7
South Carolina 50 19.8 19.2 20 19.9 19.8

National 45 21.1 20.6 21 21.4 20.9
Georgia 40 20.6 20.1 20.6 20.9 20.3
Oregon 33 21.4 20.5 21.5 21.9 21.1
District of Columbia 30 19.4 19.1 19.5 19.7 18.6

Nevada 30 21.5 20.9 21.4 22 21



Texas 30 20.8 19.9 21.3 20.9 20.6
Alaska 29 21 20.1 21.1 21.7 20.7
New York 25 23.1 22.5 23.4 23.3 22.7
Indiana 24 22.2 21.6 22.4 22.6 21.6
Vermont 24 23.1 22.9 22.9 23.7 22.5
Hawaii 22 21.5 20.9 22.1 21.4 21
Connecticut 21 23.5 23.6 23.5 24 22.6
Virginia 20 21.9 21.7 21.8 22.3 21.4
California 19 22.2 21.8 22.8 22.4 21.4
Massachusetts 18 23.9 23.9 24.3 24.3 22.8

Washington 18 22.8 22.4 22.9 23.5 22.1
Maryland 17 22.1 21.9 22.1 22.5 21.5
New Jersey 16 23.1 22.9 23.5 23.2 22.1
Arizona 15 21.9 21.3 22.1 22.4 21.3
New Hampshire 15 23.5 23.3 23.4 24.1 22.6

North Carolina 15 21.6 20.9 22 21.9 21.1

Pennsylvania 14 22.1 21.7 22.2 22.4 21.5

Delaware 11 22.6 22.2 22.5 23.1 22
Rhode Island 10 22.8 23 22.5 23.4 21.8

Maine 9 23.1 23 23 23.6 22.3



If you choose to use all three SAT scores (CR+M+W) in your admission decisions, the concordance table
that follows will not allow you to immediately convert ACT scores into the appropriate SAT Total Score.
To do so, you will need to use one of the formulas that follow.

“The SAT CR+M+W total score can be related to the ACT Composite using the following equation:

Estimated SAT CR+M score = (SAT CR+M+W score +15) / 1.5

Round this value to the nearest 10, and then use the concordance table to get the estimated ACT
Composite score.

The ACT Composite can be related to the SAT CR+M+W scale by first converting the ACT Composite
score to the SAT CR+M scale using the concordance table, and then using the following equation:

Estimated SAT CR+M+W score = (1.5 x SAT CR+M score) – 15

This number is rounded to the nearest 10.

Multiplying by 1.5 puts the value on the correct scale. The subtraction of 15 points is done because SAT
W scores are lower, on average, than the SAT CR and SAT M scores. For example, in the 2007 College
Board National Report, the average SAT W score is 494, while the average SAT CR score is 502 and the
average SAT M score is 515. The average difference is about 15 (American College Testing, Estimating
Score Conversions for ACT Composite and SAT CR+M+W Scores, 2009).



Table 3. Concordance between ACT Composite Score and Sum of SAT Critical Math and Reading Score
(Source: American College Testing, 2009).

SAT CR+M (Score Range) ACT Composite Score SAT CR+M (Single Score)
1600 36 1600
1540-1590 35 1560
1490-1530 34 1510
1440-1480 33 1460
1400-1430 32 1420
1360-1390 31 1380
1330-1350 30 1340
1290-1320 29 1300
1250-1280 28 1260
1210-1240 27 1220
1170-1200 26 1190
1130-1160 25 1150
1090-1120 24 1110
1050-1080 23 1070
1020-1040 22 1030
980-1010 21 990
940-970 20 950
900-930 19 910
860-890 18 870
820-850 17 830
770-810 16 790
720-760 15 740
670-710 14 690
620-660 13 640
560-610 12 590
510-550 11 530

The National Population: Students who graduated in 2009

More than 1.4 million students completed an ACT examination in 2008-2009. These students
collectively earned an average ACT Composite Score of 21.1 (identical to last year’s average composite
score). Forty-five percent of all HS senior test-takers were male; 55% of test-takers were female. The
average ACT Composite score earned by females was 20.9 while the average earned by male test-takers
was 21.3.



1,600,000

1,400,000

1,200,000

1,000,000

800,000

600,000

400,000

200,000

-
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Number of students tested 1,171,460 1,186,251 1,206,455 1,300,599 1,421,941 1,480,469

Number of ACT-Tested Students in the Nation
Source: American College Testing, 2009.

Despite an increasing number of ACT test-takers, the national ACT Composite score average has
experienced little fluctuation (see accompanying figure).

Questions to address:

• How many ACT score reports were submitted to your institution this year? Is this number greater
than, less than, or the same as the number received last year? What might this suggest about
your market share? How might this information impact your decisions regarding the use of
student search?
• How many SAT score reports were submitted to your institution this year? Is this number greater
than, less than, or the same as the number received last year? What might this suggest about
your market share? How might this information impact your decisions regarding the use of
student search?
• How does your institution’s average ACT Composite score compare to the national average?
• Has your institution’s average ACT Composite score (for entering students only) changed in
recent years? Why?
• If you were to compare the ACT Composite average of all first-year students entering your
institution in Fall 2008 with the average ACT Composite average of all those who remain enrolled
in Fall 2009; would the average increase/decrease/remain the same? What, if anything, might
this suggest about student retention at your institution?



21.2
21.2
21.15 21.1 21.1 21.1
21.1
21.05
21
20.95 20.9 20.9
20.9
20.85
20.8
20.75
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

National ACT-Composite Average – National Trends.

Like the nation’s high school population, the ACT test-taking population is becoming increasingly
diverse. In 2004, 67% of the test-taking population self-identified as Caucasian. In 2009, 64% of the
test-taking population self-identified as Caucasian.

Ethnic Distribution of Ethnic Distribution of
ACT test-takers (2004) ACT test-takers (2009)
Percent National Test Percent National Test
Takers Takers

Other/No
Response, African Other/No African
Asian 10 American, 11 Native Asian Response, 9 American, 13
American, 3 Native
American, 1 American, 4
American, 1
Hispanic, 7
Hispanic, 9

Caucasian, Caucasian,
67 64

Questions to consider: Your institution likely receives ACT scores in one of two primary ways: Official
ACT reports are mailed or transmitted electronically to the Office of Admission if, at the time of the ACT
examination, the student identifies your institution as a recipient.



• Do you know the demographic characteristics of the students who send these official reports to
you?
• Are official score submitters (students who have selected your institution at the time of the ACT
examination) more likely to matriculate than others?
• Do you consider official score submitters high priority contacts and have you developed a
communication plan for this student population?
• Is the ACT examination preferred by selected ethnic populations? Can you describe those
students most likely to submit an ACT (or SAT) score to your institution?

The second source of ACT scores is on the high school transcripts themselves. Many schools affix the
official test report labels provided to guidance counselors on the high school transcripts. These are
generally considered official test scores by the receiving college.

• Are you examining subject area test scores as well as ACT composite scores when you are
considering a student’s application?
• Are you using college readiness scores to identify students at academic risk?
• Are you sharing college readiness scores with professionals responsible for the academic
advisement of students? Are advisors using this information to help students make informed
choices about their first semester schedule? For example, it may not be in the student’s best
interest to schedule both a lab science and math course if he or she has not earned the minimum
benchmark score in each area.

ACT Composite Score averages vary considerably as a result of self-reported ethnicity. Asian American
and Caucasian student ACT Composite averages are among the highest reported; African American and
Hispanic Composite Score averages are considerably lower.

Questions to consider:

• If your institution uses an admission committee to make decisions about students at academic
risk, do members of the committee know the average test scores earned as a function of gender
and ethnicity?
• Do you share a report similar to this one with academic leadership and admission committee
members?



25 22.2 23.2
20.9
18.9 18.7
20 16.9

15

10

5

0
African American Native Caucasian Hispanic Asian American Other/No
American/Alaska Response
Native

National ACT-Composite Average (2009) as a function
of Race/Ethnicity.
Source: American College Testing, 2009

Questions to consider: Demographic variables such as gender and ethnicity can impact ACT Composite
Score averages.

• What percentage of your entering student population is found in each of the ethnic/racial groups
identified in the corresponding figure?
• What is the ACT Composite Score average for each?
• Remember the earlier question about student retention? How might ethnicity/race qualify any
changes in ACT Composite average you noted?

Of the 1.4 million HS seniors who completed the ACT in 2009, only 638 students in the nation earned an
ACT Composite score of 36. Three hundred and eight-eight students earned composite scores between
09-03. And 10,983 students earned a composite scores of 34 (7,533) and 35 (3,450).

The national distribution of ACT Composite scores is displayed in the figure that follows.



120000

100000

80000

60000

40000

20000

0
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35
ACT Composite Score

Distribution of ACT-Composite Scores –
All 2009 HS Graduates

• If you purchase student search from American College Testing, do you understand what
percentage of names purchased are associated with each ACT Composite Score? If, for example,
you are purchasing names to build enrollment in your institution’s honors program and purchase
the names of students who earn a 33-36 ACT composite score; you will actually only receive 638
names in the 36 ACT Composite Score Group, 3,450 names in the 35 score value group, 7,533 in
the 34 score value group and 12,082 in the 33 score value group. Knowing this distribution may
influence the manner in which you assign scholarship dollars.
• Are you letting students in the highest performance groups know how special they really are?

Subject Area Scores and College Readiness

As was mentioned earlier, the academic component of the ACT is intended to assess preparation for
college-level study in English, biology, the social sciences, and mathematics. The four subject area
scores provided by American College Testing are associated with competency or benchmark scores. A
benchmark score is the minimum score needed on an ACT subject-area test to indicate a 50% chance of
obtaining a B or higher or a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in corresponding college credit-
bearing courses. The accompanying figure displays benchmark scores for each subject area and the
percentage of all ACT test-takers who earned the minimum benchmark score or higher in 2009.

Questions for consideration:

While the national benchmark scores correlate with performance in selected college coursework, it is
important that your institution determine whether or not these subject area scores are correlated with
performance in courses available on your campus. As such, your institutional research/assessment
professional might be asked to conduct appropriate subject area score research. If your institutional



research suggests that subject area scores do predict successful course performance, you may want to
consider their use in admission decisions.

• Do you know the correlation between subject area score and grades earned in English
Composition, biology, finite math, or selected social science courses on your campus?

67%
70%
60% 53%
50% 42%
40%
28%
30% 23%
20%
10%
0%
College College College College All 4
English Algebra Social Biology benchmark
Composition Science scores

ACT ACT Math ACT ACT %
English Benchmark Reading Science Students
Benchmark Score = 22 Benchmark Benchmark meeting all
Score = 18 Score = 21 Score = 24 4
Benchmark
Scores

Percent of 2009 ACT-Tested Students Ready for
College-Level Coursework.
Females were more likely than males to earn benchmark scores in English and Reading. Conversely,
higher percentages of men earned benchmark scores in Math, Science, and all four competency areas.



70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
English Math Reading Science All Four
Male 65 47 52 33 27
Female 69 38 53 24 20

Percentage of Males and Females Earning College
Readiness Benchmark Scores (2009 seniors)

The English benchmark score is 18. Sixty-seven percent of the nation’s ACT tested students achieve this
benchmark score (or higher). As the accompanying figure displays, the percentage of test-takers who
achieve this benchmark score or higher varies as a function of test-taker race/ethnicity. Only 35% of
African American test-takers achieve this score and are judged likely to earn a C or B grade in college-
level English. Conversely, 77% of Caucasian Americans and 76% of Asian Americans achieve this
benchmark score.

It should be noted that students who complete one course in high school English in addition to the
minimum core courses (ENG 9, ENG 10, ENG 11, ENG 12), are more likely to attain the minimum
benchmark score (75% do so). Only 23% of ACT test-takers actually do complete English courses beyond
core requirements.



Asian 24 76

Hispanic 52 48

Caucasian 23 77

Native American 50 50

African American 65 35

All Students 33 67

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Percent Not Ready Percent Ready

Percentage of students meeting ACT College Readiness
Benchmark Scores: English

Only 42% of the nation’s 1.4 million ACT test-takers demonstrate readiness for college mathematics.
While 65% of Asian students demonstrate mathematics readiness, only 12% of African American
students do so.

Seventeen percent of ACT tested students complete only minimum core requirements in mathematics
(Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry). Only 12% of these students earn the minimum mathematics
benchmark score of 22. While 60% of ACT tested students exceed minimum math course core
requirements in high school, the majority (31%) do so by enrolling in an advanced mathematics course
other than trigonometry, pre-calculus, or calculus. In fact, only 22% of all ACT-Tested students complete
trigonometry in high school.



Asian 35 65

Hispanic 73 27

Caucasian 50 50

Native American 76 24


All Students 58 42

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Percent Not Ready Percent Ready

Percentage of students meeting ACT College Readiness
Benchmark Scores: Mathematics

ACT Benchmark scores in reading are correlated with social science course enrollment patterns. The
majority of test-takers (59%) report enrollment in four or more years of social science in high school.
Sixty-one percent of test-takers who do so attain the minimum benchmark score (21) in reading.



Asian 39 61

Hispanic 65 35

Caucasian 38 62
Not Ready
Native American 61 39 Ready


All Students 47 53

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Percentage of Fall 2009 Test-Takers meeting ACT
Benchmark Score: Reading

Thirty-one percent of ACT-Tested students complete biology, chemistry, and a general science course in
high school. Yet only 21% of these students will earn the minimum science benchmark score of 24. An
additional 38% of test-takers enrolled in general science, biology, chemistry, and physics. Thirty-nine
percent of these students earned the minimum benchmark score of 24.

Asian American 58 42

Hispanic 87 13

Caucasian 65 35
Not Ready
Native American 84 16 Ready


All Students 72 28

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Percentage of students meeting ACT college readiness
score: Science



While a percentage of students will certainly change their anticipated major prior to enrollment, it is the
initial identification of major that informs the majority of student search purchases. The tables that
follow feature selected areas of study, the number of ACT-tested high school seniors who indicate
interest in the major, their average ACT composite score and the numbers of students who intend, at
the time of the ACT, to enroll in two- or four-year institutions.

As has been the case for nearly a decade, health science and allied health fields command the attention
of a majority of ACT-tested college bound seniors. Note also the large number of students who, at the
time of the test, remain undecided about their intended major.


• What percentage of your entering student population remains undecided about a major?
• Do you have programs and services for “still deciding” students?
• Do you have specific messages for them and for their families?
• What is the fall-to-fall retention rate of first-time students who enter your institution as
undecided majors?
• Does the ACT composite score average of undecided test-takers surprise you? Why or why not?
• Do you bring into your conversations with undecided students preconceived notions?

Anticipated Major Number Avg. ACT Number Avg. ACT Number Avg. ACT
All Composite Two-Year Composite Four-Year Composite
Students College College
Students Students
Business and 154,578 20.9 6,629 16.5 137,614 21.2
Management
Communications 40,789 21.6 1,699 16.8 36,685 21.7

Computer and 32,956 21.4 2,885 17.8 27,785 21.8
Information
Sciences
Education 59,376 20.7 1,825 16.3 54,077 20.9

Health Science and 286,426 20.7 18,245 16.9 254,161 21.1
Allied Health Fields
Letters 10,465 24.7 305 19.1 9,474 24.9

Mathematics 10,515 24.1 256 16.7 9,406 24.4

Philosophy, 7,788 22.6 239 18.1 6,940 22.8
Anticipated Academic Majors –
Religion &
Theology

2008 ACT-Tested Seniors81,680
Biological/
Physical Science
87,430 23.8 1,093 17.6 23.9



Anticipated Major Number Avg. ACT Number Avg. ACT Number Avg. ACT
All Composite Two-Year Composite Four-Year Composite
Students College College
Students Students
Social Sciences 94,328 22.3 1,316 17.3 88,265 22.4

Visual and 91,202 21.0 7,142 17.1 76,481 21.3
Performing Arts
Undecided 206,391 21.5 13,202 16.7 165,472 22.0

Many enrollment management professionals depend upon student search (the purchase of ACT and/or
SAT test-taker names) to build their inquiry and applicant pools. Are you segmenting both the purchase
of your student search and your communications to those students and their families? In today’s
customized environment, you must be prepared to anticipate student/family need and interest.

If you would like to learn more about how to more effectively use student search to build a viable
applicant population or would like to inquire about professional development opportunities, we are
available to help. Please contact Dr. Catherine Cook at Miller/Cook & Associates, Inc. 1-800-591-1141 or
info@millercook.com.


The 2009 Act National Test

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