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Few Ala. High School Grads Ready For College Work

Montgomery, AL – A report by college entrance exam administrators shows that only 16 percent of the students who graduated from Alabama high schools in 2009 were adequately prepared for core college subjects.

Administrators of the ACT test released their report Wednesday. It shows the state's high schoolers are ill-prepared for college-level work in four core subjects - English, math, social studies and science.

About three quarters of Alabama seniors took the ACT. Their average score was 20.3 out of 36, lower than the national average of 21.1

The ACT is a voluntary test that colleges in the South often use to determine admission and scholarship distribution. Alabama has seen a rise in the number of students taking the test over the last few years. The test costs $46 and can be taken multiple times.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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