A student’s experiences and accomplishments in high school serve as the foundation for accessing college and career opportunities. Many states have defined a set of criteria for college and career readiness. This report looks at more than 100 studies to summarize the causal research evidence on post–high school outcomes for 12 common college and career readiness benchmarks.

The measures I examine include enrollment in Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) classes, AP and IB test achievement, mandatory ACT or SAT testing, ACT or SAT minimum score, advanced coursework, high school exit or end-of-course exam, mandatory Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion, academic early college or dual enrollment participation, military enlistment, Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) participation, industry-recognized credential or dual enrollment career and technical education (CTE) credential, and CTE enrollment or dual enrollment.

Why This Matters

College and career readiness measures are designed to ensure all high school students develop the knowledge, skills, and competencies to succeed after graduation. These measures help students understand and demonstrate their experiences and skills. Importantly, colleges and employers also rely on these measures to select students for enrollment, advance students along their degree path, and determine whether a student will succeed in their industry.

Key Takeaways

Most of the college and career readiness measures I examine have been linked to positive outcomes, though the size of the effects and the strength of the research backing them vary. Additionally, this review provides a framework for policymakers considering new or different college and career readiness measures.

I identify seven measures that appear to have a stronger connection to enrollment, attainment of higher education, employment, and earnings:

• enrollment in AP or IB classes
• mandatory ACT or SAT testing
• mandatory FAFSA completion
• academic early college or dual enrollment participation
• military enlistment
• industry-recognized credential or dual enrollment CTE credential
• CTE enrollment or dual enrollment

These measure all have a substantial volume of evidence for at least one of three post–high school outcome categories (i.e., postsecondary enrollment, degree attainment, or earnings) and evidence of positive outcomes across multiple studies. But these measures are not “one size fits all,” and the research suggests that some students derive more benefit, in terms of post–high school outcomes, from certain measures.

How I Did It

I reviewed more than 100 studies to summarize the evidence on post–high school outcomes, focusing on studies that attempt to estimate the causal impacts of these high school measures through randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental methods, or well-controlled analyses.