The Mississippi Department of Education has released ACT score averages among high school juniors in the state. The test, which comprises of four different sections and is a big factor in college admission acceptance, is given to every high school junior in the state. Mississippi is one of 15 states that gives all juniors the ACT for free on a school day.
The highest possible composite score is a 36, and tests taken in the state this spring yielded a 17.4 average. Alan Burrow, the executive director of school performance for the Mississippi Department of Education, says this average is a slight improvement from last year. But he believes that improvements still need to be made both within the state and the country.
“Mississippi definitely could do better,” Burrow says. “The national composite average is 19.3… ACT scores nationally have been trending downward over the past several years.”
Brandi Lyndall is the director of GEAR UP outreach, which provides support to the Get to College program in Mississippi. She says that because all Juniors in Mississippi take the ACT, that likely makes the average lower than states that don't have the requirement. But she says giving students accessibility to the test is worth it.
“It’s provided during the school day, at their own high school, where they are provided transportation to,” Lyndall says. “the likelihood of more students having that access to college admission… is greater.”
For many colleges, a high ACT score is required to qualify for scholarships even if a students GPA is fairly high. Lyndall says, however, that ACT scores are not always the best indicator of a student's intellect or work ethic.
“Unfortunately, there is so much tied to the score,” she said. “the amount of scholarships they receive, whether they get into a certain school… but yet it has nothing to do with how successful that student will be.”
