Students Are Taking the ACT Earlier in High School

As more students take the ACT in preparation for college, a greater share of them are taking the test earlier in their high school careers. In 2005, two out of three students took the ACT for the first time before the 12th grade. By 2014, three out of four students first tested before the 12th grade. This upward trend in the share of students testing earlier in high school is explained only in part by the administration of the ACT to all 11th graders in nine new states over the past decade. Even across states that have not administered the ACT statewide, the share of students who first tested before the 12th grade has increased from 59% to 64% between 2005 and 2014.

Chart Table
Figure 3. Percent Testing Before 12th Grade, 2005-2014
Figure 3. Percent Testing Before 12th Grade, 2005-2014
High School Graduation Year All States Non-Statewide
2005 66% 59%
2006 64% 56%
2007 64% 57%
2008 67% 58%
2009 68% 58%
2010 70% 60%
2011 70% 61%
2012 72% 63%
2013 75% 65%
2014 75% 64%

This upward trend is evident across all regions of the country, especially within states that have had a relatively large increase in ACT participation rates. Over the past decade, there has been a consistently strong negative relationship between a state’s ACT participation rate and the grade level in which students first take the ACT, such that students in states with lower participation rates generally test later and students in states with higher participation rates generally test earlier. Figure 4 shows this relationship for the ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2014. As seen in the figure, states with lower ACT participation rates (horizontal axis) tend to have a larger percentage of students first test as 12th graders (vertical axis), whereas states with higher ACT participation rates tend to have a smaller percentage of students first test as 12th graders. States in the Northeast are clustered in the upper-left area of the figure, having both lower participation rates and higher 12th grade first-testing rates. Many states in the Midwest are clustered in the lower-right area of the figure, having both higher ACT participation rates and lower 12th grade first-testing rates.

Chart Table
Figure 4. 12th Grade First-Test-Taking Rate by State ACT Participation Rate, 2014
Figure 4. 12th Grade First-Test-Taking Rate by State ACT Participation Rate, 2014
Region State Participation Rate 12th Grade First-Testing Rate
Midwest Illinois 100% 2.8%
Midwest Indiana 40% 34.9%
Midwest Iowa 68% 24.1%
Midwest Kansas 75% 25.1%
Midwest Michigan 100% 4.5%
Midwest Minnesota 76% 19.4%
Midwest Missouri 76% 24.9%
Midwest Nebraska 86% 18.9%
Midwest North Dakota 100% 2.6%
Midwest Ohio 72% 27.5%
Midwest South Dakota 78% 27.9%
Midwest Wisconsin 73% 15.2%
Northeast Connecticut 29% 34.1%
Northeast Maine 9% 53.9%
Northeast Massachusetts 23% 39.0%
Northeast New Hampshire 20% 44.4%
Northeast New Jersey 25% 35.6%
Northeast New York 27% 38.0%
Northeast Pennsylvania 19% 42.2%
Northeast Rhode Island 16% 47.1%
Northeast Vermont 29% 31.3%
South Alabama 80% 28.7%
South Arkansas 93% 20.3%
South Delaware 18% 53.8%
South District of Columbia 37% 43.4%
South Florida 81% 43.4%
South Georgia 53% 55.2%
South Kentucky 100% 2.8%
South Louisiana 100% 7.8%
South Maryland 22% 48.0%
South Mississippi 100% 34.8%
South North Carolina 100% 2.2%
South Oklahoma 75% 29.1%
South South Carolina 58% 43.9%
South Tennessee 100% 6.5%
South Texas 40% 45.8%
South Virginia 28% 52.9%
South West Virginia 65% 44.1%
West Alaska 37% 62.5%
West Arizona 55% 21.9%
West California 29% 47.6%
West Colorado 100% 2.9%
West Hawaii 90% 7.8%
West Idaho 45% 45.3%
West Montana 100% 4.4%
West Nevada 36% 53.6%
West New Mexico 69% 47.2%
West Oregon 36% 18.0%
West Utah 100% 9.3%
West Washington 22% 44.5%
West Wyoming 100% 3.3%

Note: The trend line in Figure 4 shows a negative relationship. A correlation of –0.81 (out of a range of –1 to 1) suggests that the strength of the negative relationship between ACT participation rate and 12th grade first-test-taking rate is large in magnitude.

Although today’s students are generally testing earlier, many students still wait until their senior year to take the ACT for the first time (see Table 1). Students who test for the first time later in high school are more likely to be lower achieving and have lower degree aspirations, come from families with less-educated parents and lower incomes, and be members of traditionally underrepresented racial/ethnic minority groups (i.e., African American, American Indian, and Hispanic).

 

Table 1. Which Non-Statewide Students Test for the First Time as 12th Graders?

More Likely to First Test in 12th Less Likely to First Test in 12th
Lower-achieving students Higher-achieving students
Students with lower degree aspirations Students with higher degree aspirations
Students with lower family incomes Students with higher family incomes
Students with less highly educated parents Students with more highly educated parents
African Americans, American Indians, and Hispanics Students from other racial/ethnic groups
 

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