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Forsyth County Schools top charts on ACT
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Forsyth County - Led by high scores from students at South Forsyth High School, the Forsyth County School System had the state's highest average score on the 2009 ACT, an annual college entrance exam that mirrors the SAT in rigor, if not participation.
With a system average of 23.1 out of a possible 36, Forsyth Schools had the top average from among the state's 189 school districts, followed by Fayette (22.5), Oconee (22.5) and Fulton (22.2) county school systems.
While the comparisons are not exact, a 24 score on the ACT is the equivalent of scoring a 1650 on the SAT, according to comparative charts developed by Kaplan, a test preparation company. The ACT includes four separate exams in English, reading, mathematics and science, and an optional writing portion.
South Forsyth High turned in the county's top ACT average of 24.2; good enough to rank it in eighth place among the state's nearly 400 public high schools. Scores at the other three traditional high schools in Forsyth were Central (22.2), North (22.3) and West (22.5).
Statewide, about 40 percent of Georgia's 2009 graduating seniors took the ACT, earning a statewide average of 20.6, unchanged from last year. The national average was 21.1, also the same as 2008, according to ACT's annual report. Georgia seniors were tied for 40th on the ACT out of 50 states; up from 41st in 2008 and 47th in 2005.
In comparison to the 40 percent of seniors who took the ACT, nearly 70 percent of graduating seniors took the SAT last spring. The SAT is considerably more popular among east and west coast colleges and the students that will attend those schools; while the ACT is more popular in the Midwest. Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Wyoming now require the ACT as part of the state's testing mandates.
While fewer than half of Georgia students take the ACT, participation levels are rising each year. State officials are pointing to a 50 percent rise in participation from 2005 to 2008.
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In Forsyth County, about 770 students took the ACT in 2009, compared to 1,104 who took the SAT.
"Even with a dramatic increase in participation, Georgia's ACT scores held onto the gains we've made the past few years and our national rank improved," said State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox.
Tags: Cumming, Forsyth County
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