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The class of 2023 had the worst ACT performance in more than three decades, according to newly released data from the nonprofit that administers the college admissions test.

Why it matters: The scores are the latest indication of the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on education, with academic performance and test scores declining at all levels. The 2023 cohort was in its first year of high school when the pandemic began.

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[-] Sir_Kevin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 1 year ago

This generation probably realizes that college is an overpriced scam and humanity is probably fucked, so the test is irrelevant.

[-] stown@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago

That doesn't track. Why pay money and schedule a date to do poorly on the ACT? Should the scores not go up if only the people who know they are going to college take the test?

[-] ryathal@sh.itjust.works 11 points 1 year ago

In my state every high school junior takes the SAT, I assume there are states that use the ACT.

[-] stown@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Is the test paid for by the school district and/or part of the mandatory curriculum requirements for graduation?

[-] ryathal@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 year ago

The state pays for it, it's what they use to fulfill testing requirements for that grade.

[-] skybreaker@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

At my high school, everyone was required to take the ACT. It didn't matter if you were planning to go to college or not.

[-] stown@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Obviously if you force people to take the test then the averages will go down...

[-] ryathal@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 year ago

Why should it though? It's assessing fairly basic levels of reading and math comprehension.

[-] stown@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Before the test was mandatory, people only took the test if they thought they needed for entry to college. Now there are more people who don't want to go to college yet still must take the test. It's logical to assume that the people who would not go to college or feel that the test is a waste of their time will not perform as well as the people who view it as a barrier that they must cross for their desired life outcome. The simplicity of the test doesn't really matter.

[-] Chuymatt@artemis.camp 2 points 1 year ago

People actually trying? They may know it, but won’t bother.

[-] engityra@kbin.social 7 points 1 year ago

This class did a big chunk of their highschool through the pandemic didn't they? I imagine they probably are a bit behind because of it.

[-] Touching_Grass@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Did it go from 20.5 to 19.5? I think we'll survive this.

[-] stu@lemmy.pit.ninja 16 points 1 year ago

Well, I don't know about you, but I haven't been particularly impressed by the results that an already dumb populace has achieved recently in America. So America getting even dumber doesn't particularly bode well...

We ought to be concerned about the numbers even if there's not much we can do about the kids entering adulthood.

[-] skeezix@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago

The plan is apparently working. Dumb people make better conservatives.

this post was submitted on 16 Oct 2023
41 points (88.7% liked)

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