More than 2.09 million members of the U.S. high school class of 2016 (64 percent of graduates) took the ACT test last year, compared with 1.64 million taking the College Board's SAT. Introduced in 1959, the ACT has the advantage of being supported by more states, 16 of which give it for free to students during the school day. The SAT, introduced in 1926, has traditionally been dominant on the coasts, but that hold slipped further when some students abandoned it during its 2016
In response to these shifts, 950 colleges are now "test-optional." Both tests are expected to remain cornerstones of the college application process despite studies showing that grades are a better indicator of college freshman success than test scores.
Education Week (05/24/17)
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