Hawai'i's college-bound seniors exceeded the national average on composite ACT Assessment scores for the eighth consecutive year in 2008.

Public and private school students in Hawai'i scored an average of 21.6 out of a possible 36 points, beating the national average by 0.5 points.

Composite scores were slightly higher in 2007 and 2006, when Hawai'i students earned average scores of 22.3 and 21.9, respectively.

The ACT is a national standardized test comprising four sections, including English, math, reading and scientific reasoning.

Like the SAT Reasoning Test, the ACT is used by colleges and universities nationwide to assess students' general educational development and their ability to do college-level work, according to a state Department of Education news release.

More than 3,180 Hawai'i students from the class of 2008 took the ACT this year, compared with 2,589 last year. Nationwide, more than 1.4 million graduating seniors took the ACT, or 43 percent of all graduates.