More diversity among SAT test-takers

The class of 2009 was the most diverse group ever to take the SAT, according to the College Board, which administers the standardized test. The percentage of minority students taking the SAT increased to 40 percent this year, up from 29.2 percent in 1999. Hispanic test-takers represented the group showing the fastest growth, but there was also a significant increase in the number of students who reported that English was not their only first language. “We are tremendously encouraged by the increasing diversity of participation in the SAT,” Gaston Caperton, president of the College Board, said in a statement. “The College Board will continue working together with educators nationwide to ensure all students have the opportunity to confidently pursue their college dreams.” Click here to see state-by-state reports and college attendance patterns.