The continual rise of student loan debt seems to show the world that students are willing to do whatever it takes to become successful in life. However, when they have completed the requirement for the degree many question if the whole journey was worth it. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine the potential…

This qualitative case study explores the career and educational aspirations, college choice process, and college barriers and opportunities of 26 rural, African American high school students. Data included interviews with 26 students and 11 school staff members. Findings suggest that the students' rural context shapes aspirations. In addition,…

A total of 11,447 high school students were surveyed to test the relation between victimization and the educational outcomes of truancy, post-high school intentions, and grades for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) and non-LGBTQ students. LGBTQ students reported statistically higher truancy, lower grades, greater…

This report builds on a foundation of knowledge about the academic readiness of the ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2012 as presented in "The Condition of College & Career Readiness" (see ED534761). An important conclusion of the "Condition" report is that far too many high school graduates are not prepared for…

This study examined the school perceptions and educational aspirations of 6,599 rural high school students, a sample that included 428 students with learning disabilities (LD). Regardless of disability status, rural high school students who had negative perceptions of school had less well-defined postsecondary educational plans and less often…

The study reviewed in this paper examined the impact of offering financial aid informational materials on the postsecondary expectations of high school students. Approximately 5,000 students from five low-achieving high schools in Ontario, Canada, were invited to complete an online survey about their postsecondary aspirations. About 1,600 students…

The "Condition of College & Career Readiness 2015" is the ACT annual report on the progress of US high school graduates relative to college readiness. This report provides a national snapshot of academic performance among African American students in the 2015 high school graduating class who took the ACT® test and addresses questions…

This report is the ACT annual report on the progress of U.S. high school graduates relative to college readiness. This year's report shows that 64% of students in the 2016 US graduating class took the ACT test, up from 59% in 2015 and 49% in 2011. The increased number of test takers over the past several years enhances the breadth and depth of the…

The "Condition of College & Career Readiness 2014" is ACT's annual report on the progress of the graduating class relative to college readiness. This report provides a national snapshot of academic performance among African American students in the high school graduating class who took the ACT® college readiness assessment and…

This report is the ACT annual report on the progress of U.S. high school graduates relative to college readiness. This year's report shows that 59% of students in the 2015 U.S. graduating class took the ACT® test, up from 57% last year and 49% in 2011. The increased number of test takers over the past several years enhances the breadth and depth…

Since 1959, ACT has collected and reported data on students' academic readiness for college. This annual report focuses on the progress of the graduating class of 2014 relative to college readiness on a national level. In 2014, 57% of the graduating class took the ACT® college readiness assessment. The increased number of test takers over the past…

This article uses data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97) to examine the relationship between disability, parental and youth university expectations in 1997, and youth high school completion and university enrolment by 2003. Results indicate that educational attainment is not equal for young adults with and without…

For nearly a decade, ACT has measured student progress in the context of college readiness. "The Condition of College & Career Readiness" is ACT's annual report on the college readiness of the most recent high school graduating class. The data herein provide insights to catalyze and guide efforts to improve college and career…

This report focuses on the college and career readiness levels of the ACT[R]-tested US high school graduating class of 2012. The report represents 52 percent of all 2012 graduates in the United States. Findings in the report suggest that for this cohort of tested students, the condition of college and career readiness has slightly improved over…

Annually, ACT provides a snapshot of the college and career readiness of ACT-tested high school graduates. This report is offered as a service to inform policymakers and practitioners about selected indicators of effectiveness and how that translates into readiness. It is designed to stimulate discussion, inquiry, and action. This report is…