Minnesota SAT scores come in higher than national marks

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The Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota Office of Higher Education recently released new data showing a more than 10 percent increase in the number of Minnesota students taking Advanced Placement (AP) tests.

The data also shows a nearly 13 percent increase in the number of students scoring a 3 or higher on their exams, which is the cut score used by most colleges to award college credit to new entering students.

The AP program allows high school students to take college-level courses in a high school setting.

"The increase in Advanced Placement test scores once again shows that as we raise academic expectations, Minnesota students will rise to the challenge," Education Commissioner Alice Seagren said. "Since 2004, the number of students enrolled in AP courses increased by more than 10,000 students. At the same time, the number of students achieving high test results also increased. We must continue to expand opportunities for all students to experience rigorous postsecondary courses in high school."

_"The increased participation in these rigorous courses being offered in our public high schools is very encouraging, said David Metzen, director of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. "When students are challenged in high school, they are much more likely to be successful in college."

The continued increase in the number of students taking AP coincides with the implementation of the "Get Ready Get Credit" program proposed by Governor Tim Pawlenty and passed by the Legislature during the 2005 session.

The Get Credit portion of the program encourages students to earn college credit while in high school through AP and other programs.

SAT scores improve

Minnesota students also continued to perform well on the SAT, which is a college entrance exam administered by the College Board and taken by fewer than 10 percent of Minnesota high school graduates.

The ACT is the predominant college entrance exam taken in Minnesota, with the SAT typically taken by students interested in attending college on the east and west coasts. __Minnesota public school students posted SAT mean scores of 599 in critical reading, 612 in mathematics and 579 in writing.

These mean scores for the state compare to a national critical reading mean score of 496, a national math mean score of 510, and a national writing mean score of 487.

Tags: department of education, advanced placement tests, news, sat, minnesota, school