Distance Preference
Students can indicate their preferred distance to college at the time that they register for the ACT. In general, the students’ distance preference is a good indicator of their level of mobility.
Percent of ACT-Tested High School Graduates Who Prefer to Attend College Within a Certain Distance by State ACT Participation Rate, 2012
- The percentage of ACT-tested students who prefer to attend college within 25 miles of their home increases with state ACT participation rate.
- In states in which no more than half of all high school graduates take the ACT Test, roughly 50% of all ACT-tested students prefer to attend college more than 100 miles away from their home.
- As state ACT participation rate increases beyond 50%, the share of ACT-tested students who prefer to attend college more than 100 miles away from their home decreases.
Graph reads: 33% of the ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2012 in states administering the ACT statewide prefer to attend college 26–100 miles away from their home.
| State ACT Participation Rate | Less Than 26 Miles | 26–100 Miles | More Than 100 Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 26% | 18% | 31% | 50% |
| 26%–50% | 23% | 26% | 51% |
| 51%–75% | 27% | 32% | 41% |
| 76%–100% | 29% | 38% | 33% |
| Statewide (100%) | 33% | 33% | 35% |
Note: Based on 60% of ACT-tested high school graduates for whom distance preference is available. Percentages within state ACT participation rate may not sum to 100 due to rounding.
Percent of ACT-Tested High School Graduates Who Prefer to Attend College Within a Certain Distance by ACT Composite Score, 2012
- The percentage of students who prefer to attend college within 25 miles of their home decreases as ACT Composite score increases.
- Conversely, as ACT Composite score increases, so does the percentage of students who prefer to attend college more than 100 miles away from their home.
- The percentage of students who prefer to attend college 26–100 miles away from their home peaks at an ACT Composite score in the range of 20–23 and then declines as ACT Composite score continues to increase.
Graph reads: 71% of the ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2012 who earn an ACT Composite score in the range of 33–36 prefer to attend college more than 100 miles away from their home.
| ACT Composite Score Range | Less Than 26 Miles | 26–100 Miles | More Than 100 Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–15 | 41% | 31% | 29% |
| 16–19 | 32% | 34% | 34% |
| 20–23 | 25% | 35% | 40% |
| 24–27 | 19% | 32% | 49% |
| 28–32 | 14% | 27% | 59% |
| 33–36 | 10% | 18% | 71% |
Note: Based on 60% of ACT-tested high school graduates for whom distance preference is available. Percentages within ACT Composite score range may not sum to 100 due to rounding.
Percent of ACT-Tested High School Graduates Who Prefer to Attend College Within a Certain Distance by Parent Education Level, 2012
- The percentage of ACT-tested students who prefer to attend college more than 100 miles away from their home increases as parent education level increases.
- In contrast, the percentage of ACT-tested students who prefer to attend college within 25 miles of their home decreases as parent education level increases.
Graph reads: 37% of the ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2012 whose parents did not attend college prefer to attend college within 25 miles of their home.
| Parent Education Level | Less Than 26 Miles | 26–100 Miles | More Than 100 Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| No College | 37% | 34% | 29% |
| Some College | 29% | 35% | 36% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 23% | 32% | 45% |
| Graduate Degree | 19% | 28% | 53% |
Note: Based on 57% of ACT-tested high school graduates for whom distance preference and parent education level are available. Percentages within parent education level may not sum to 100 due to rounding.
Percent of ACT-Tested High School Graduates Who Prefer to Attend College Within a Certain Distance by Degree Plans, 2012
- As degree aspirations increase, so does the percentage of ACT-tested students who prefer to attend a college more than 100 miles away from their home.
- Conversely, the percentage of ACT-tested students who prefer to attend college within 25 miles of their home decreases as degree aspirations increase.
- Roughly half (49%) of all ACT-tested students who plan to obtain less than a bachelor’s degree prefer to attend college within 25 miles of their home, whereas roughly half (49%) of all students who plan to obtain a graduate degree prefer to attend college more than 100 miles away from their home.
Graph reads: 35% of the ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2012 who plan to obtain a bachelor’s degree prefer to attend college 26–100 miles away from their home.
| Degree Plans | Less Than 26 Miles | 26–100 Miles | More Than 100 Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less Than Bachelor's Degree | 49% | 32% | 19% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 29% | 35% | 36% |
| Graduate Degree | 21% | 30% | 49% |
Note: Based on 59% of ACT-tested high school graduates for whom distance preference and degree plans are available. Percentages within degree plans may not sum to 100 due to rounding.