NEW YORK, Sept. 13 (UPI) -- More students of the Class of 2010 headed to college took the SAT than in any other high school graduating class in U.S. history, academic experts say.
Nearly 1.6 million graduating seniors participated in the college-going process by taking the Scholastic Aptitude Test, demonstrating the importance of academic rigor in college readiness, the College Board said Monday.
"Engaging students with more rigorous course work and demanding higher standards are critical in providing America's students with an education that will prepare them to compete in the 21st-century economy," said College Board President Gaston Caperton.
"This report confirms that there are no tricks and there are no shortcuts to college readiness. Students who take more rigorous courses in high school are more prepared to succeed in college and beyond."
Those students who completed a core curriculum with English, math, natural science and social science and history, scored higher on the SAT than those who did not complete the curriculum, the board said.
Students in the class of 2010 who reported taking the most demanding honors or Advanced Placement courses performed better on the SAT.
Although not without its critics, the SAT has been used to measure how well students can apply their knowledge, a factor that educators and researchers agree is critical to success in college course work, the board says.
