THE CONDITION OF COLLEGE & CAREER READINESS - 2018 ACT Test Outcomes

Oct 9, 2026

2018 ACT test outcomes for the graduating high school class are summarized through statewide participation rates, benchmark attainment, and subject-level performance tied to college and career readiness. The infographic highlights how many seniors took the ACT and repeated testing, the role of fee waivers for low-income students, and core curriculum effects across subjects. It also links meeting ACT college readiness benchmarks to college enrollment and degree completion within six years, and presents STEM interest and workforce readiness measured via WorkKeys NCRC. Overall results quantify aspiration-to-action patterns and readiness drivers.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

College readiness participation and benchmarks

Access for low-income students (fee waivers)

College readiness attainment by benchmarks and subject

Core curriculum and readiness by subject

STEM interest and benchmark outcomes

Workforce readiness and WorkKeys NCRC

~~ THE CONDITION OF ~~ COLLEGE & CAREER READINESS ~~ 2018 ~~ ACT Test Outcomes from the 2018 US HighSchool Graduating Class Relative to College and Career Readiness Statewide Partnership 55% of the graduating class took the ACT 31 States use ACT College and Career Readiness Solutions in Statewide Assessments 1.9 MILLION seniors took the ACT 44% took the ACT 2+ times. Most increased their composite score by nearly 1 point. Removing Barriers for Low-Income Students 542,506 students received a fee waiver to take the ACT test for free. 72% took advantage of their fee waiver in pursuit of their college admissions goals. State of College Readiness Based on ACT College Readiness Benchmarks Percent of 2018 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by ACT College Readiness Benchmark Attainment and Subject Below Benchmark by 3+ Points Within 2 Points of Benchmark Met Benchmark ACT College Readiness Benchmarks are the minimum ACT test scores required for students to have a reasonable chance of success in ﬁrst-year credit-bearing courses at a typical postsecondary institution. Students Who Meet More ACT College Readiness Benchmarks Are More Likely to Attend College and Earn a Degree within Six Years Out of every 10 high school graduates: \# who do not enroll in college \# who enroll in college \# who enroll in college and earn a degree Benchmark Attainment College Degree Entering Higher Education Aspirations Beyond HighSchool \# of ACT Co l lege Readiness Benchmarks Met 76% of 2018 graduates aspired to attend college *Starting in 2018–2019 school year 68% asked for colleges and scholarship agencies to contact them 64% sent their scores to higher education institutions. Students taking the ACT with a fee waiver can send their ACT scores to 20 colleges and/or scholarship agencies for free.* 82% of 2017 graduates aspired to attend college 8 IN 10 of these 2017 graduates actually enrolled in college Core Curriculum Increases Readiness College Readiness Rates are Higher for those who take the Recommended Core Curriculum Percent of 2018 ACT-Tested High School Graduates in Core or More vs. Less Than Core Courses Meeting ACT College Readiness Benchmarks by Subject | 66% | | | --- | --- | | 34% | | ENGLISH | | 51% | | | --- | --- | --- | | 35% | | | READING 45% 8% | 43% | | | | --- | --- | --- | | | 18% | | SCIENCE CORE CURRICULUM IS DEFINED: [English] 4 years [Reading] 3 years (Social Studies) [Math] 3 years [Science] 3 years Core or More Less than Core ACT College Readiness Benchmarks are the minimum ACT test scores required for students to have a reasonable chance of success in ﬁrst-year credit-bearing courses at a typical postsecondary institution. STEM Interest Another 45% of 2018 graduates were interested in STEM careers 8% of students not indicating an interest in STEM met the STEM benchmark, representing more areas of career opportunity they may not have considered Percent of 2018 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness Benchmarks by STEM Cohort Met STEM Benchmark Met Math Benchmark Met Science Benchmark Students who meet or surpass the ACT STEM Benchmark have a high (75 percent) probability of earning a grade of C or higher in ﬁrst-year college STEM courses such as calculus, biology, chemistry, and physics. They are also more likely to earn good grades, persist in a college STEM major, and earn a STEM-related bachelor’s degree than those who didn’t meet the benchmark. Entering the Workforce 96% of Graduates are Armed with Foundational Work Readiness Skills Based on ACT Composite Scores these graduates would likely earn the following levels of the ACT® WorkKeys® National Career Readiness Certiﬁcate® (NCRC®), an internationally recognized credential. 47% 23% 96% Work readiness skills include foundational cognitive skills such as reading for

FAQs

How many 2018 graduates took the ACT, and how often did they take it?

55% of the graduating class took the ACT, and 44% took it two or more times.

What does the infographic say about fee waivers for low-income students?

542,506 students received a fee waiver to take the ACT for free, and 72% used the waiver to pursue college admissions goals.

How are college readiness benchmarks defined in the infographic?

They are the minimum ACT test scores required for students to have a reasonable chance of success in first-year, credit-bearing courses at a typical postsecondary institution.

Oct 9, 2026

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