Search

In this report, we establish benchmarks of readiness for four common first-year college courses: English Composition, College Algebra, Social Science, and Biology. Using grade data from a large sample of colleges, we modeled the probability of success in these courses as a function of ACT test scores. Success was defined as a course grade of B or higher, and for each college the ACT test score that yields a .50 probability of success was identified. The median of these scores represents the college readiness benchmark--the score that would typically indicate a student is ready for first-year college courses. Benchmarks were obtained for four common first-year courses: English Composition, using the ACT English score as the predictor; College Algebra, using the ACT Mathematics score as the predictor; Social Science, using the ACT Reading score as the predictor; and Biology, using the ACT Science score as the predictor. Appended is: Hierarchical Logistic Regression Model. (Contains 9 tables.)