The class of 2023 had the worst ACT performance in more than three decades, according to newly released data from the nonprofit that administers the college admissions test.

Why it matters: The scores are the latest indication of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on education, with academic performance and test scores declining at all levels. The 2023 cohort was in its first year of high school when the pandemic began.

  • Sir_Kevin@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    17
    arrow-down
    7
    ·
    9 months ago

    This generation probably realizes that college is an overpriced scam and humanity is probably fucked, so the test is irrelevant.

    • stown@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      10
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      9 months ago

      That doesn’t track. Why pay money and schedule a date to do poorly on the ACT? Should the scores not go up if only the people who know they are going to college take the test?

        • stown@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          9 months ago

          Is the test paid for by the school district and/or part of the mandatory curriculum requirements for graduation?

      • Skybreaker@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        7
        ·
        9 months ago

        At my high school, everyone was required to take the ACT. It didn’t matter if you were planning to go to college or not.

        • stown@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          5
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          9 months ago

          Obviously if you force people to take the test then the averages will go down…

          • ryathal@sh.itjust.works
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            9 months ago

            Why should it though? It’s assessing fairly basic levels of reading and math comprehension.

            • stown@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              6
              ·
              9 months ago

              Before the test was mandatory, people only took the test if they thought they needed for entry to college. Now there are more people who don’t want to go to college yet still must take the test. It’s logical to assume that the people who would not go to college or feel that the test is a waste of their time will not perform as well as the people who view it as a barrier that they must cross for their desired life outcome. The simplicity of the test doesn’t really matter.

  • engityra@kbin.social
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    9 months ago

    This class did a big chunk of their highschool through the pandemic didn’t they? I imagine they probably are a bit behind because of it.

    • pitninja@lemmy.pit.ninja
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      16
      ·
      9 months ago

      Well, I don’t know about you, but I haven’t been particularly impressed by the results that an already dumb populace has achieved recently in America. So America getting even dumber doesn’t particularly bode well…

      We ought to be concerned about the numbers even if there’s not much we can do about the kids entering adulthood.