Level of College Attended

Chart Table

Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Gender

ACT Composite Score Range	Female	Male
1–15	40%	38%
16–19	60%	57%
20–23	78%	74%
24–27	90%	87%
28–32	97%	95%
33–36	99%	99%

Graph reads: 40% of college-enrolled females with an ACT Composite score in the range of1–15 attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college during fall 2013.

Note: Based on 99.8% of the college-enrolled ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who reported gender.

Among both females and males, the percentage of college students who attended a 4-year college increases with ACT Composite score.
With the exception of students in the score range of 33–36, a larger percentage of females than males attended 4-year colleges.
The 4-year college attendance rate gap between females and males is at its widest toward the middle of the ACT Composite score scale.

Chart Table

Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Parent Education Level

No College	Some College	Bachelor’s Degree	Graduate Degree
1–15	37%	37%	42%	47%
16–19	54%	56%	62%	68%
20–23	70%	71%	79%	84%
24–27	82%	83%	90%	93%
28–32	92%	92%	96%	98%
33–36	97%	98%	99%	100%

Graph reads: 37% of college-enrolled students with an ACT Composite score in the range of1–15 whose parents did not attend college attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college during fall 2013.

Note: Based on 84% of the college-enrolled ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who reported parent education level.

Within each level of parent education, the percentage of college students who attended a 4-year college increases with ACT Composite score.
There are essentially no differences in the 4-year college attendance rates among students whose parents earned no college education and those whose parents earned some college education.
There are differences in the 4-year college attendance rates among these two student groups and students whose parents earned more advance degrees. These 4-year college attendance rate gaps by parent education level diminish as ACT Composite score increases.

Chart Table

Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Degree Plans

ACT Composite Score Range	Less Than Bachelor’s Degree	Bachelor’s Degree	Graduate Degree
1–15	21%	41%	48%
16–19	28%	58%	68%
20–23	36%	74%	82%
24–27	47%	85%	92%
28–32	66%	94%	97%
33–36		98%	99%

Graph reads: 21% of college-enrolled students with an ACT Composite score in the range of1–15 who planned to earn less than a bachelor’s degree attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college during fall 2013.

Note: Based on 90% of the college-enrolled ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who reported degree plans. Percentage not provided when sample size is less than 50.

College students who planned to earn less than a bachelor’s degree attended 4-year colleges at far lower rates than students who planned to earn either a bachelor’s or graduate degree, regardless of ACT Composite score range.
The largest 4-year college attendance rate gaps by students’ degree aspirations are toward the middle ranges of the ACT Composite scale.

Chart Table

Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Planned Major Status

ACT Composite Score Range	Selected a Planned Major	Undecided about Planned Major
1–15	41%	43%
16–19	59%	60%
20–23	77%	77%
24–27	89%	89%
28–32	96%	96%
33–36	99%	99%

Graph reads: 43% of college-enrolled students with an ACT Composite score in the range of1–15 who were undecided about their planned major attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college during fall 2013.

Note: Based on 97% of the college-enrolled ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who either selected a planned major or indicated they were undecided when they registered for the ACT.

Across the ACT Composite score scale, there is little to no difference in the percentage of college students attending a4-year college between those who selected a planned major and those who were undecided about their choice of planned major.

Chart Table

Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and a Subset of Planned Major Areas

Repair, Production, and Construction	Architecture	Communications
1–15	22%	40%	53%
16–19	30%	59%	70%
20–23	40%	77%	84%
24–27	60%	88%	92%
28–32	75%	97%	97%
33–36		98%	100%

Graph reads: 22% of college-enrolled students with an ACT Composite score in the range of1–15 who planned to major in the area of Repair, Production, and Construction attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college during fall 2013.

Note: Based on 82% of the college-enrolled ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who selected a planned major when they registered for the ACT. Percentage not provided when sample size is less than 50.

The chart shows 4-year college attendance rates by ACT Composite score for college students in a subset of planned major areas. As the chart illustrates, the percentage who attended a 4-year college differed considerably by their planned major area.
Students who planned to major in the area of Repair, Production, and Construction had the lowest 4-year college attendance rates, whereas students who planned to major in the area of Communications had the highest 4-year college attendance rates.

Chart Table

Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by Gender and Planned Major Area

Planned Major	Female	Male
Engineering	90%	81%
Sciences: Biological & Physical	86%	84%
Communications	86%	76%
English & Foreign Lang.	84%	80%
Architecture	83%	71%
Area, Eth. & Multidiscip. Studies	82%	69%
Comp. Sci. & Mathematics	81%	73%
Business	79%	78%
Social Sciences & Law	79%	76%
Philosophy, Religion, & Theology	77%	76%
Education	74%	70%
Eng. Tech. & Drafting	74%	63%
Arts: Visual & Performing	73%	67%
Health Sci. & Techno.	73%	77%
Agric. & Nat. Res. Cons	68%	56%
Health Admin. & Assisting	59%	64%
Commun, Fam., & Personal Svcs	58%	50%
Repair, Production, & Construction	50%	34%

Graph reads: 90% of college-enrolled females and 81% of college-enrolled males who selected a planned major in the area of Engineering attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college during fall 2013.

Note: Based on 82% of the college-enrolled ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who reported gender and selected a planned major when they registered for the ACT.