Student Readiness for STEM College Coursework

ACT added a new STEM score to ACT student score reports in fall 2015. Our goal was to provide students and educators with greater insight into critical aspects of college readiness. This score, derived from the ACT mathematics and science scores, represents students' overall performance in these two subject areas. Recent research indicated that academic readiness for college coursework in STEM subject areas may require higher scores than the current ACT College Readiness Benchmarks in math and science.3 The findings of this research sparked the development of the ACT STEM Benchmark score.

The ACT STEM College Readiness Benchmark was developed using the same methodology as the single subject area ACT College Readiness Benchmark. Typical grades in first-year college STEM courses (Calculus, General Biology, General Chemistry, and Physics) were combined in a single course success model to determine the ACT STEM test score that was associated with at least a 50% chance of earning a B or higher or a 75% chance of earning a C or higher in those courses. The resulting ACT STEM College Readiness Benchmark score was 26. Based on that Benchmark, only 20% of the 2015 ACT-tested high school graduating class was ready for first-year STEM college courses.

ACT STEM Benchmark scores are related not only to succeeding in individual math and science courses, but also to achieving longer-term outcomes. Mattern et al. (2015) showed that students with STEM majors who met the ACT STEM Benchmark were more likely to earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher, persist in a STEM major, and earn a STEM-related bachelor's degree than those who failed to meet the Benchmark. Additionally, ongoing research suggests that providing STEM readiness information to prospective students may help facilitate the transition to college by aligning students' expectations with course demands.    

Overall STEM Interest

939,049 graduates have an interest in STEM.

Expressed and Measured Interest
  • 320,030 graduates have an expressed and measured interest in STEM, which is 34% of the overall interest.
Chart Table
Percent of 2015 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness Benchmarks by Subject
Percent of 2015 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness Benchmarks by Subject
Subject Percent Meeting Benchmark
Mathematics 49%
Science 45%
STEM 26%
Chart Table
Percent of 2015 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness Benchmarks by Subject
Percent of 2015 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness Benchmarks by Subject
Subject Percent Meeting Benchmark
Mathematics 58%
Science 54%
STEM 33%
Chart Table
Percent of 2015 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting the ACT STEM Benchmark by Race/Ethnicity and Subject*
Percent of 2015 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting the ACT STEM Benchmark by Race/Ethnicity and Subject*
Race/Ethnicity Percent
African American 5%
American Indian 8%
Asian 49%
Hispanic 13%
Pacific Islander 17%
White 32%
Two or More Races 25%

African American, N = 113,142
American Indian, N = 7,597
Asian, N = 54,062
Hispanic, N = 145,667
Pacific Islander, N = 2,905
White, N = 528,084
Two or More Races, N = 38,529

Chart Table
Percent of 2015 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting the ACT STEM Benchmark by Gender and Subject
Percent of 2015 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting the ACT STEM Benchmark by Gender and Subject
Gender Percent
Male 31%
Female 21%

Male, N = 464,177
Female, N = 470,518

Expressed and Measured Interest

  

Chart Table
Percent of 2015 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting the ACT STEM Benchmark by Race/Ethnicity and Subject*
Percent of 2015 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting the ACT STEM Benchmark by Race/Ethnicity and Subject*
Race/Ethnicity Percent
African American 8%
American Indian 11%
Asian 54%
Hispanic 18%
Pacific Islander 23%
White 38%
Two or More Races 32%

African American, N = 27,442
American Indian, N = 2,537
Asian, N = 20,950
Hispanic, N = 48,324
Pacific Islander, N = 856
White, N = 191,201
Two or More Races, N = 13,624

Chart Table
Percent of 2015 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting the ACT STEM Benchmark by Gender and Subject
Percent of 2015 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting the ACT STEM Benchmark by Gender and Subject
Gender Percent
Male 41%
Female 26%

Male, N = 152,203
Female, N = 166,763

 

* Note: Percents in this report may not sum to 100% due to rounding.