- Utah triumphs at ACT tests
- Posted By:
- Tom A.
- Posted On:
- 19-Aug-2010
-
In Utah, students continue to take the ACT Entrance examination test for colleges. However, the results are mixed. At least this is what the latest report suggested. From the class of 2010, at least 71 percent of the students took the tests before they could finish their high school graduation.
In the year 2008 and 2009, the students on an average scored 21.8 points from a total of 36. But when a study was conducted it was seen that the gap between the white students and other minority students only grew wider.
The students who scored well across all sections on the tests, proved that they were ready for college education and could taken on subjects like biology, algebra, mathematics, and English at the college level. But these students contributed to only a 26 percent and the nationwide percentage of students ready for college is just 24 percent. However, this is a better number than 2007 when at least twenty percent of the college freshman students had to take a remedial class.
A spokesperson at the Utah education department stated that although they had a long way to go to increase and improve on the numbers as well as the education system, they seemed to be on the right track.
Another plus point for the education system in Utah is that most of the seniors from the state were regarded to be among the highest scorers within 26 states collectively. And only half of the seniors have taken the ACT test yet.
Many more students will take this ACT entrance exam test in the coming years from Utah. And on a trial basis, at least eighty schools in Utah plan to make all their junior students appear for this test so as to check how well they perform. Earlier it was voluntary for the students to take the test. Now, most of the students sign up for the tests themselves.
However, a spokesperson stated that the scores o Utah might drop lower when more students take the test. This is because only the high scoring students had taken the tests yet. But now it will be extended to all sorts of students. This would mean a drop in the scores. But it would help the schools to understand how competent their students and prepare them accordingly in the coming years.
The state of Utah is doing well where the ACT entrance exam is concerned. Therefore, more and more schools across the different states of America should adopt a similar strategy to check how many of their students are going to be able to apply for college and not take any remedial classes.
Giving the juniors to take this test, even if it is a mock test, it would help greatly to understand what is going on and how much a student has grasped. Therefore, this test should become a compulsion. It would also help if the cost of this test, which is now $33 would be lowered. This would give the students better access.