Both exams are accepted by most colleges, and a growing number of colleges don't require standardized test scores at all. The ACT, traditionally more popular in the South and Midwest, is more curriculum-based. The SAT still predominant on the East and West Coasts focuses more on basic math, verbal and writing skills.

Colorado and Illinois are the only two states that administered the ACT to all of last year's graduating seniors. Michigan began doing so with its high school juniors this spring, and Kentucky and Wyoming will begin administering the test to all 11th graders next year.

Average composite scores edged up in each of the four individual tests English, math, reading and science. Average composite scores for black students fell 0.1 points to 17.0, while scores for Hispanics rose 0.1 to 18.7. Scores for both groups are up slightly since 2003; however, the number of blacks and Hispanics taking the exam is growing at twice the overall rate.

Forty-three percent who took the ACT math exam met the test's benchmark for college readiness, up from 40 percent a year ago. In the science the figure was 28 percent, up from 26 percent last year. The percentage who met the benchmark in all four subjects rose from 21 percent to 23 percent.

SAT results for the class of 2007 will be released later this month.

In releasing its results, the ACT reiterated its long-standing case for more rigor in high school coursework. The organization encourages students to take a minimum of four years of English, and three each of math, social studies and science. Students who had taken those courses or more averaged 22.0 on the exam; students who had not averaged 19.8.

On the Net:

http://www.act.org


- Associated Press