Prince William students outscore the nation and continue upward trend on ACT scores

PWCS student results on the ACT are trending upward, with the 2015-16 scores the highest they have been in the past five years for all of the tested areas as well as the composite score.

n all four content areas of English, mathematics, reading, and science, Prince William County Public Schools students exceeded the national average composite score on the ACT exam, continuing a 21-year record for the college-readiness assessment.

The PWCS composite score for 2015-16 was 22.8 on the 36-point scale; that beats the national composite score by 2 points.

ACT scores assess high school students’ general educational development and ability to complete college-level work. Unlike an aptitude or reasoning test, the ACT is designed to be an achievement test, measuring what a student has learned in school.

The ACT consists of multiple-choice questions.