Oklahoma SAT scores remain above national average

<br>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Oklahoma students who took the Scholastic Aptitude Test in 2002 outperformed the national average and posted a higher average than any southern state, officials said Tuesday. <br><br>Only

Tuesday, August 27th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Oklahoma students who took the Scholastic Aptitude Test in 2002 outperformed the national average and posted a higher average than any southern state, officials said Tuesday.

Only 8% of Oklahoma high school seniors take the SAT, which is not a required entrance exam for Oklahoma's colleges and universities.

Oklahoma's average test scores were 565 in verbal and 562 in math, compared with national averages of 504 for verbal and 516 for math. Oklahoma's composite score of 1,127 was 107 points higher than the national average.

``Considering that the SAT is a long-term indicator of student success _ particularly high-achieving, college-bound students _ this is evidence that staying the course in education reform is making a difference,'' state Superintendent Sandy Garrett said.

Most Oklahoma seniors who take the SAT do so to apply to out-of-state schools. Many take the SAT for scholarship application purposes.

Among the 14 southern states, Louisiana had a composite of 1,120 with 8 percent of its seniors tested. Arkansas had a composite of 1,116 (5 percent tested), Mississippi had 1,106 (4 percent) and Alabama had 1,119 (9 percent).