2008 ACT National Profile Report

Academic Abilities and Nonacademic Characteristics of ACT-Tested Graduates
Section I	Executive Summary
Section II	Academic Achievement
Section III	College Readiness and the Impact of Course Rigor
Section IV	Career and Educational Aspirations
Section V	Optional Writing Test Results

Full Report	ACT High School Profile Report — National (includes all sections listed above)

Appendix

The results profiled in this report are based on all students who took the ACT during their sophomore, junior or senior year and who graduated from high school in the spring of 2008. If a student tested more than once, only his/her most recent test record is used. Due to the increasing number of repeat test-takers, ACT expanded the number of student-specific variables used to match multiple student records in 2002. Those students who tested residually or under extended time conditions are not included.

It should be noted that graduating students who take the ACT are not necessarily representative of graduating students nationally. Students who live in the Midwest, Rocky Mountains, Plains and southern regions of the country are overrepresented among ACT-tested students as compared to graduating students nationally.

Caution should be used in making comparisons between state and national norms. State norms may differ from national norms for noneducational reasons such as the demographic makeup of a state's ACT-tested graduates compared to the nation.

Since the ACT is designed for students who plan to attend college, the focus is on students who completed the recommended college preparatory courses. The recommended college core courses, as defined by ACT, include:

English (four years or more): One year credit each for English 9, English 10, English 11, English 12
Mathematics (three years or more): One year credit each for Algebra I, Algebra II, geometry; One-half year credit each for trigonometry, calculus (not pre-calculus), other math courses beyond Algebra II, computer math/computer science
Social Sciences (three years or more): One year credit each for American history, world history, American government; One-half year credit each for economics, geography, psychology, other history
Natural Sciences (three years or more): One year credit each for general/physical/Earth science, biology, chemistry, physics

For additional information, contact us at:

ACT Media Relations
319/337-1028
mediarelations@act.org