This Year’s Average US College Entrance Exam Scores Lowest in 32 Years... Impact of Corona

Foreign Media "COVID-19 Suggests Impact on Education"

This year, the average score of test-takers on the American College Admission Test (ACT) hit its lowest point in 32 years. It is analyzed that the academic decline was prominent due to the impact of students who entered high school right after the COVID-19 outbreak continuing their studies through online classes.

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 11th (local time), the average ACT score, one of the two major tests evaluating American high school students' college readiness along with the SAT, dropped by 0.3 points from last year to 19.5 out of 36 this year. This marks six consecutive years of decline. Like the SAT, the ACT can be taken multiple times, and the composite score is calculated by averaging scores in four subjects: English, Math, Reading, and Science.

The cause of the score decline was attributed to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ACT analyzed that students' academic performance has continued to decline since the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020. This year’s American high school graduates entered school right after the COVID-19 outbreak and received most of their classes online at that time.

Janet Godwin, CEO of ACT, stated in a press release, "More than 4 out of 10 students scored below the benchmark in all subjects," explaining, "This indicates that graduating from high school does not mean being prepared to handle college coursework." She added, "The reality is that the American education system has not adequately prepared high school graduates for successful college and workplace life."

One foreign media outlet evaluated, "The ACT average score has shown a decline for six consecutive years, and the degree worsened during the COVID-19 period." The internet media Axios also pointed out, "This is the latest indicator showing the impact of COVID-19 on education."

Meanwhile, some in the American education sector argue for abolishing college admission tests, claiming that students' parents' income has a significant effect on ACT or SAT scores. Some universities no longer require submission of college admission test scores from applicants after COVID-19. For example, the prestigious Harvard University allows applications without ACT or SAT scores until 2026.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.