By Leslie Postal (Orlando Sentinel).
Both ACT and SAT scores for Florida’s class of 2017 were released recently, with the SAT once again the more popular college admissions exam in the Sunshine State.
More than 147,000 students, or 83 percent of the seniors who graduated last spring, took the SAT while about 129,300, or 73 percent, took the ACT.
A few years ago, the ACT — which some say has better matched what students learn in high school — became more popular. But this year that changed, likely because many Florida school districts, including those in Central Florida, now take part in “SAT School Day” events where students take the exam during a school day, with the cost covered by their schools.
Florida students seeking admission to any of Florida’s state universities must submit scores from one of the two exams.
Some key points:
–Both exams, as in the past, show Florida students average scores lag behind the nation’s. The average SAT score was 1017 in Florida, out of a possible 1600, and 1070 nationally. The average composite ACT score in Florida was 19.8 out of 36 compared to 21 nationally.
–On the ACT, 21 percent of Florida students posted “college ready” scores on all four sections of the exam (math, reading, science and writing), compared to 27 percent of students nationally.
–On the SAT, 36 percent of Florida’s test takers met college-ready benchmarks on both math and the reading/writing sections. That compares to 46 percent nationally. Read the full article
