American College Seniors Failing Basic Civics

American college seniors don't seem to know much about America:

College seniors know astoundingly little about America’s history, political thought, market economy and international relations.

The overall average score for the approximately 7,000 seniors who took the American civic literacy exam was 54.2%, an “F.” That is consistent with the overall average of 53.2% posted by seniors last year. Not one college surveyed can boast that its seniors scored, on average, even a “C” in American civic knowledge.

Harvard seniors scored highest, but their overall average was 69.6%, a “D+.” That is almost identical to the 69.7% earned by Harvard seniors last year. Yale and Princeton seniors averaged only 65.9% and 61.9%, respectively. At 18 colleges, the average senior scored less than 50%.

You can take the 60 question civics quiz here. My dad sent this to me a week ago and I finally got around to taking it. I scored 95%. Megan McArdle scored 100%.

I'd credit most of what I know to Mr. Wilson (my high school US history teacher), Professor Thorp (my US history prof at Virginia Tech), and my economics professors here at GMU -- particularly Professor Rowley (my prof for public choice and law and econ). I have been incredibly blessed by some wonderful teachers.