Out-of-State Preference
Students can indicate the state in which they prefer to attend college when they register for the ACT. Comparing their preferred state with their state of residence provides an early indicator of students’ eventual in-state or out-of-state college enrollment.
Percent of ACT-Tested High School Graduates Who Prefer to Attend College Out of State by State ACT Participation Rate, 2012
- In those states in which no more than half of all high school graduates take the ACT, just under 30% of ACT-tested students prefer to attend college out of state.
- With the exception of states that administer the ACT statewide, as state ACT participation rate increases beyond 50%, the percentage of ACT-tested students who prefer to attend college out of state decreases.
Graph reads: 27% of the ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2012 who reside in states in which the ACT is administered statewide prefer to attend college out of state.
| State ACT Participation Rate | Out-of-State Preference |
|---|---|
| Less than 26% | 29% |
| 26%–50% | 28% |
| 51%–75% | 20% |
| 76%–100% | 17% |
| Statewide (100%) | 27% |
Note: Based on 84% of ACT-tested high school graduates for whom state preference is available.
Percent of ACT-Tested High School Graduates Who Prefer to Attend College Out of State by ACT Composite Score, 2012
- Beginning with an ACT Composite score range of 16–19, the percentage of ACT-tested students who prefer to attend college out of state increases as ACT Composite score increases.
- The relatively large percentage of ACT-tested students in the score range of 1–15 who prefer to attend college out of state is inconsistent with this overall pattern.
Graph reads: Among the ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2012 who earn an ACT Composite score in the range of 28–32, 36% prefer to attend college out of state.
| ACT Composite Score Range | Out-of-State Preference |
|---|---|
| 1–15 | 23% |
| 16–19 | 19% |
| 20–23 | 21% |
| 24–27 | 27% |
| 28–32 | 36% |
| 33–36 | 49% |
Note: Based on 84% of ACT-tested high school graduates for whom state preference is available.
Percent of ACT-Tested High School Graduates Who Prefer to Attend College Out of State by Parent Education Level, 2012
- The percentage of ACT-tested students who prefer to attend an out-of-state college increases as parent education level increases.
- Among those ACT-tested students who have at least one parent with a graduate degree, 1 out of 3 prefers to attend college out of state.
- Among those ACT-tested students whose parents did not go to college, only about 1 out of 6 prefers to attend an out-of-state college.
Graph reads: 25% of the ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2012 who have at least one parent with a bachelor’s degree prefer to attend college out of state.
| Parent Education Level | Out-of-State Preference |
|---|---|
| No College | 18% |
| Some College | 21% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 25% |
| Graduate Degree | 33% |
Note: Based on 78% of ACT-tested high school graduates for whom state preference and parent education level are available.
Percent of ACT-Tested High School Graduates Who Prefer to Attend College Out of State by Degree Plans, 2012
- Relative to their peers who plan to earn a bachelor’s degree or some other undergraduate credential (e.g., an associate’s degree or certificate), a larger percentage of ACT-tested students who plan to earn a graduate degree prefer to attend college out of state.
Graph reads: Among the ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2012 who plan to earn a bachelor’s degree, 20% prefer to attend college out of state.
| Degree Plans | Out-of-State Preference |
|---|---|
| Less Than Bachelor's Degree | 19% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 20% |
| Graduate Degree | 29% |
Note: Based on 82% of ACT-tested high school graduates for whom state preference and degree plans are available.