Mystic Seaport, Connecticut
Though I’ve lived in many areas of the USA, including Massachusetts, California, Florida, Texas, and now South Carolina, I always had an idealized image of Connecticut. You know, Ivy League, sophisticated and even, hoity-toity.
For some reason, Connecticut has always epitomized sophistication and old money to me.
Having driven through a few times, I can tell you that it is scenic, even bucolic in areas, and very beautiful.
That’s why I was as shocked as the people of Connecticut to read the results of the 2008 ACT Testing there.
According to The Hartford Courant:
“Results from the 2008 ACT college admission test show that many Connecticut high school seniors are “appallingly” unprepared for college-level work, according to a state report.”
“Of the 8,159 students who took the test, [only] 35 percent of white seniors, 18 percent of Hispanics and 9 percent of African Americans were ready for college-level work.”
“It’s an appalling figure to look at,” said Frank W. Ridley, chairman of the Board of Governors for Higher Education. “Basically it says that, at the very best, only one-third of our students are succeeding.”
The achievement gap between whites, Hispanics and African Americans mirrors what is occurring throughout the rest of the country. And even white students gave a really poor showing.
No wonder colleges and businesses are having to spend billions of dollars annually for remediation. Kids are not learning the necessary skills to compete in life, business or academia during their high school years.
What is ACT?
You probably already know the difference between the ACT and the SAT, but here’s a refresher for both of us.
- The ACT Test is a curriculum-based college entrance exam. It tests what students have learned in high school.
- The SAT Test measures a student’s aptitude for learning.
So, just like the rest of the country, the poor scores by all groups show that too many Connecticut students are arriving on college campuses poorly prepared and must enroll in remedial classes to catch up.
Things must change!
Brennan
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