The ACT is the predominant college entrance exam in half of the states, while the SAT dominates the other half. The ACT is a test of curriculum-based and classroom-based achievement, while the SAT is an implied learning test that measures how students think based on their experiences both in and out of the classroom setting. All S.C. colleges and universities accept either test for admission.

Five of seven Spartanburg County school districts, Greenville District and Charleston District increased their composite ACT scores in 2007 and Richland districts maintained the same average score. No district examined met the national average ACT score; however, Spartanburg County and Greenville District scored higher than the state average and Charleston District met the state average.

Although the SAT is the most popular college entrance exam in S.C., student participation in ACT testing is growing. In fact there was a 13% increase in students taking the ACT from 2006 to 2007. The number of test takers rose in S.C. by 25% over the last four years. Although increase in numbers of test takers is usually accompanied by decreased scores, S.C. scores have improved for four consecutive years, as indicated in Table 12.

While average composite scores for S.C. white students increased one-tenth of a point in 2007, black/African-American students’ average scores fell one-tenth of a point. Male students outperformed females nationally, but not in S.C. where females scored one-tenth of a point higher on average.

National ACT data for 2006 indicates that of the 39% of S.C. graduates who were tested:

Although average readiness scores increased from 2006, Table 13 shows that S.C. average readiness remained below U.S. average. Further, black / African-American students in S.C. scored lower in every subject area than their white and other race counterparts.