Level of College Attended
Among the 1.2 million ACT-tested high school graduates who enrolled in college, 75% attended a 4-year college, whereas 25% attended a 2-year college.
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Gender
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Gender
ACT Composite Score Range |
Female | Male |
---|---|---|
1–15 | 40% | 38% |
16–19 | 60% | 57% |
20–23 | 78% | 74% |
24–27 | 90% | 87% |
28–32 | 97% | 95% |
33–36 | 99% | 99% |
Graph reads: 40% of college-enrolled females with an ACT Composite score in the range of1–15 attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college during fall 2013.
Note: Based on 99.8% of the college-enrolled ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who reported gender.
- Among both females and males, the percentage of college students who attended a 4-year college increases with ACT Composite score.
- With the exception of students in the score range of 33–36, a larger percentage of females than males attended 4-year colleges.
- The 4-year college attendance rate gap between females and males is at its widest toward the middle of the ACT Composite score scale.
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Parent Education Level
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Parent Education Level
No College | Some College | Bachelor’s Degree | Graduate Degree | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1–15 | 37% | 37% | 42% | 47% |
16–19 | 54% | 56% | 62% | 68% |
20–23 | 70% | 71% | 79% | 84% |
24–27 | 82% | 83% | 90% | 93% |
28–32 | 92% | 92% | 96% | 98% |
33–36 | 97% | 98% | 99% | 100% |
Graph reads: 37% of college-enrolled students with an ACT Composite score in the range of1–15 whose parents did not attend college attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college during fall 2013.
Note: Based on 84% of the college-enrolled ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who reported parent education level.
- Within each level of parent education, the percentage of college students who attended a 4-year college increases with ACT Composite score.
- There are essentially no differences in the 4-year college attendance rates among students whose parents earned no college education and those whose parents earned some college education.
- There are differences in the 4-year college attendance rates among these two student groups and students whose parents earned more advance degrees. These 4-year college attendance rate gaps by parent education level diminish as ACT Composite score increases.
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Degree Plans
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Degree Plans
ACT Composite Score Range |
Less Than Bachelor’s Degree |
Bachelor’s Degree | Graduate Degree |
---|---|---|---|
1–15 | 21% | 41% | 48% |
16–19 | 28% | 58% | 68% |
20–23 | 36% | 74% | 82% |
24–27 | 47% | 85% | 92% |
28–32 | 66% | 94% | 97% |
33–36 | 98% | 99% |
Graph reads: 21% of college-enrolled students with an ACT Composite score in the range of1–15 who planned to earn less than a bachelor’s degree attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college during fall 2013.
Note: Based on 90% of the college-enrolled ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who reported degree plans. Percentage not provided when sample size is less than 50.
- College students who planned to earn less than a bachelor’s degree attended 4-year colleges at far lower rates than students who planned to earn either a bachelor’s or graduate degree, regardless of ACT Composite score range.
- The largest 4-year college attendance rate gaps by students’ degree aspirations are toward the middle ranges of the ACT Composite scale.
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Planned Major Status
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Planned Major Status
ACT Composite Score Range |
Selected a Planned Major |
Undecided about Planned Major |
---|---|---|
1–15 | 41% | 43% |
16–19 | 59% | 60% |
20–23 | 77% | 77% |
24–27 | 89% | 89% |
28–32 | 96% | 96% |
33–36 | 99% | 99% |
Graph reads: 43% of college-enrolled students with an ACT Composite score in the range of1–15 who were undecided about their planned major attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college during fall 2013.
Note: Based on 97% of the college-enrolled ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who either selected a planned major or indicated they were undecided when they registered for the ACT.
- Across the ACT Composite score scale, there is little to no difference in the percentage of college students attending a4-year college between those who selected a planned major and those who were undecided about their choice of planned major.
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and a Subset of Planned Major Areas
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and a Subset of Planned Major Areas
Repair, Production, and Construction | Architecture | Communications | |
---|---|---|---|
1–15 | 22% | 40% | 53% |
16–19 | 30% | 59% | 70% |
20–23 | 40% | 77% | 84% |
24–27 | 60% | 88% | 92% |
28–32 | 75% | 97% | 97% |
33–36 | 98% | 100% |
Graph reads: 22% of college-enrolled students with an ACT Composite score in the range of1–15 who planned to major in the area of Repair, Production, and Construction attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college during fall 2013.
Note: Based on 82% of the college-enrolled ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who selected a planned major when they registered for the ACT. Percentage not provided when sample size is less than 50.
- The chart shows 4-year college attendance rates by ACT Composite score for college students in a subset of planned major areas. As the chart illustrates, the percentage who attended a 4-year college differed considerably by their planned major area.
- Students who planned to major in the area of Repair, Production, and Construction had the lowest 4-year college attendance rates, whereas students who planned to major in the area of Communications had the highest 4-year college attendance rates.
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by Gender and Planned Major Area
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by Gender and Planned Major Area
Planned Major | Female | Male |
---|---|---|
Engineering | 90% | 81% |
Sciences: Biological & Physical | 86% | 84% |
Communications | 86% | 76% |
English & Foreign Lang. | 84% | 80% |
Architecture | 83% | 71% |
Area, Eth. & Multidiscip. Studies | 82% | 69% |
Comp. Sci. & Mathematics | 81% | 73% |
Business | 79% | 78% |
Social Sciences & Law | 79% | 76% |
Philosophy, Religion, & Theology | 77% | 76% |
Education | 74% | 70% |
Eng. Tech. & Drafting | 74% | 63% |
Arts: Visual & Performing | 73% | 67% |
Health Sci. & Techno. | 73% | 77% |
Agric. & Nat. Res. Cons | 68% | 56% |
Health Admin. & Assisting | 59% | 64% |
Commun, Fam., & Personal Svcs | 58% | 50% |
Repair, Production, & Construction | 50% | 34% |
Graph reads: 90% of college-enrolled females and 81% of college-enrolled males who selected a planned major in the area of Engineering attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college during fall 2013.
Note: Based on 82% of the college-enrolled ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who reported gender and selected a planned major when they registered for the ACT.
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- The percentages of students who attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college differ by both planned major area and gender.
- As with college enrollment rates, the planned major areas of Engineering; and Sciences: Biological and Physical have the highest 4-year college attendance rates for both genders, whereas the areas of Community, Family, and Personal Services; and Repair, Production, and Construction have the lowest 4-year college attendance rates for both genders.
- With two exceptions (i.e., Health Sciences and Technologies; and Health Administration and Assisting), the 4-year college attendance rates of females are higher than those for males.