Missouri high school students seem to be doing a bit better on their college entrance exams, especially when they use high school to prepare for them. ACT scores nudged up a bit. Missouri high school seniors scored an average 21.5 this year, a tenth of a point better than last year, sixth tenths better than the national average. Higher Education Commission Quentin Wilson points out those students who completed the core curriculum scored an average 22.6. And Wilson says those core courses even help those who don’t choose college, noting that technical school often demands better than average reading skills to comprehend manuals. Though Missouri students show steady improvement, they are still weak in math and science. Only 42% displayed readiness for college algebra and 30% for college biology.About 49,000 or 70% of Missouri’s high school graduates took the ACT this year.