Information Brief 2013-21
Mathematics Courses Taken and ACT College Readiness Benchmark Performance in Math
As part of a core curriculum, ACT recommends students complete three or more years of mathematics courses. Ninety-three percent of the 2012 ACT-tested high school graduates took at least three years of mathematics courses.
Students who completed at least three years of mathematics courses were more likely to meet the ACT College Readiness Benchmark in Mathematics compared to those who completed less than three years of mathematics coursework. For instance, 69% of students who completed algebra I, algebra II, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus met the Mathematics Benchmark; whereas, only 8% of students completing less than three years of mathematics coursework met the Mathematics Benchmark.
Percent Meeting the Mathematics Benchmark by Mathematics Courses Taken
| Mathematics Courses | Students Meeting Mathematics Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Algebra I and II, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus | 69% |
| Algebra I and II, geometry, trigonometry, and other advanced math | 58% |
| Algebra I and II, geometry, and trigonometry | 34% |
| Algebra I and II, geometry, and other advanced math | 36% |
| Other combination of 4 or more years | 66% |
| Algebra I and II, geometry | 12% |
| Other combination of 3 or 3.5 years | 35% |
| Less than 3 years | 8% |
| No math reported | 22% |
Note: Data are based on 1,666,017 ACT-tested 2012 high school graduates.
High School Mathematics Courses Taken for 2012 ACT-Tested High School Graduates
Information Brief 2013-21 in PDF
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