Education
University Entrance Exam Scores, by Arizona University
Description: Students applying for university admission may submit entrance exam test scores from either or both of two tests: SAT and ACT. This indicator is an estimate of the SAT scores and ACT scores of students entering the three state universities. These are estimates because the source of the data, the National Center for Education Statistics, does not report either the mean or median score. The estimates are the average of the scores at the 25th and 75th percentiles.
On the dashboard, the estimated SAT and ACT scores are shown for each of the three universities for each year from 2001 through 2006. The SAT score is the sum of the critical reading and mathematics scores, each of which is expressed on a 200 to 800 scale. The ACT score is the composite of the scores on four subjects: English, mathematics, reading, and science. The ACT test is scored on a 1 to 36 scale.
Rationale: Innovation requires the steady input of human capital into the workforce and into institutions of higher learning. The performance on entrance exam scores of entering university students is a measure of the quality of students that are being attracted to the state’s universities.
Data Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics http://nces.ed.gov/ipedspas/index.asp.
Comments on the Quality of the Data: The data presented on the dashboard are estimates from the scores at the 25th and 75th percentiles. The data for Arizona State University include only the main campus in Tempe. The data measure the performance of only those high school students who choose to take the SAT and ACT tests. Testing requirements vary by university and by program and may change over time.
