Polk County students who took the SAT college entrance exam scored better than the national average and well above the state average, according to statistics released Monday by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

Students from Polk County scored an average of 1,034 when math and reading scores were combined, compared to the national average of 1,017. Statewide, the average score was 1,008, just nine points below the national average.

Locally, 57.2 percent of students took the exam, compared to 47 percent nationally and 63 percent in North Carolina.

Were quite proud that our results are above the state and national level, said Polk County Schools Superintendent Bill Miller. We also had a large percentage of students take the time to take the test as well, so thats something to be proud of, too.

Polk County students averaged 534 in mathematics and 500 in critical reading. When the writing score was added, local students were 10 points below the national average of 492.

Among the 22 school districts in Western North Carolina, Asheville City Schools had the top average score with a total of 1,105 (543 math, 562 reading).

Polk Countys average score of 1,034 ranked eighth among school districts in Western North Carolina, just one point behind Transylvania County.

Im used to being ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the region, so Im not sure how I feel about that, said Miller. But Western North Carolina schools were among the top-10 in the country as a region, so were a part of that.