MISSOURI STUDENTS GET HIGH MARKS ON ACT

Missouri's 1996 high school seniors outperformed students from across the nation in the American College Testing admissions exams.

The state's high school seniors averaged a composite ACT score of 21.4 compared to the national average of 20.9, said Dr. Kala Stroup, Missouri commissioner of higher education.

At Southeast Missouri State University, this fall's class of beginning freshmen has an average ACT of just over 23. It is the highest in the institution's history, said Juan Crites, admissions director.

In 1995, the average score was 22.6.

Both she and Stroup said the ACT scores have improved because a high school core curriculum is a prerequisite for entrance into a public four-year college or university in Missouri.

"The kids are coming to us better prepared," said Crites.

The number of Missouri students taking the core curriculum in high school has increased by 13 percent since 1992.

Overall, 57 percent of the 1996 high school seniors in the state reported taking at least four years of English, and three years each of math, social studies and natural science.

Missouri students in 1996 outperformed the national average in each test category.

Missouri's highest average 1996 ACT score was in reading, 22.6 compared to the average national score of 21.3.

Overall, the English, reading, and science reasoning test scores have increased the most over the past five years and the mathematics score has increased the least.

"Missouri can take pride in what its high schools and high school students are accomplishing and I am confident this good effort will continue," Stroup said.

Crites said high ACT scores are bragging rights for the nation's colleges and universities.

But she said schools vary in how they calculate ACT scores of their beginning freshmen.

Some schools don't include out-of-state students, those on probation or the 10 percent of students that can be enrolled in Missouri's public schools without meeting admissions requirements.

"There are 90 ways to calculate ACT," Crites said. She said it is a major issue in higher education.

"We include everyone," Crites said.