<p>^ Right. So race isn't the explanation, or at best not a complete explanation. Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin are known for having very good systems of K-12 public education, and Minnesota in particular ranks very high in educational attainment, far outstripping national norms in the percentage of its population to have graduated from both high school and college. But tokenadult is also right about reading. There's a college in Connecticut that annually ranks the nation's "most literate" cities based on library usage and bookstore sales. Minneapolis is currently #1, St. Paul #3 (Seattle is #2). Minnesota kids learn from an early age that the most pleasant way to while away those long, cold winter nights is to curl up in front of the fire with a good book. It's just a deep, deep part of the culture.</p>
<p>Just note for ACT, that for Illinois, Colorado, and I believe now Mich (although not sure if rule in effect there yet), their ACT averages will usually be a little lower than national as a result of state requirements. Unlike any other states, those require every high school junior to take the ACT, meaning every high school student who has no intent of even going to college takes it.</p>
<p>i noticed Mass almost has highest PSAT cut off
sucks for me -_-
california too
i also noticed high asian pop in these areas
SAT high is Mass</p>
<p>^^ drusba,
Your point is well taken. In 2007 two states, Colorado and Illinois, had 100% of their HS grads taking the ACT. Both had average scores below the national overage of 21.2; Colorado's average was 20.4, Illinois' was 20.5. Two more states had a 96% participation rate: Tennessee with a 20.7 average, and Mississippi with an 18.9 average. Obviously, then, if you require non-college bound students to take the test it will bring down your state average. </p>
<p>At the other end of the scale, 15 states had fewer than 20% of their HS grads take the ACT, and all but one of those states had average ACT scores above the national average. The lone outlier was North Carolina where only 16% took the ACT, producing an average score of 21.0, just slightly below the 21.2 national average.</p>
<p>In a way that makes the scores of Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin kids all that much more impressive. They, along with Nebraska (77% participation, 22.1 average), were the only states with a participation rate above 50% to record average scores over 22 (Minnesota 70% participation, 22.5 average; Wisconsin 70% participation, 22.3 average; Iowa 66% participation, 22.3 average). Now mind you, a 22 on the ACT is not all that impressive a score for an individual, but as a statewide average of the 70% of your state's kids who are likeliest to attend college, it's pretty good.</p>
<p>No no no, you guys have it all wrong. It's the midwest! Because, most of the kids in the midwest (where I am from) only take SATs if they want to apply to schools near the coasts. I verified this by looking at my state vs. national percentiles. My scores were at much lower percentiles in the Iowa pool versus in the national pool.</p>