Data reported in this paper are drawn from The American College Testing Program (ACT) files of student records collected over the five year period from 1970-71 to 1974-75 through administration of the ACT Assessment Program. The data from 1970-71 and 1971-72 represent a five percent random sample and the data from 1972-73, 1973-74, and 1974-75, a ten percent random sample of students tested on the first four national test dates each year. Included in the students' records are their ACT test scores and self-reported high school grades, and their responses to the ACT Student Profile Section (SPS), which contains some 200 items about vocational plans, out-of-class high school accomplishments, educational needs, extracurricular plans, and general biographical information. All students who write the ACT Assessment complete the SPS. Three major categories of trend data based on ACT test scores and on selected elements from the SPS are reported in subsequent sections of this paper. These are trends in students' academic abilities, background characteristics (e.g., sex, race, and socioeconomic status), and educational plans and goals. Findings are summarized and some interpretations of their implications are offered. (Author/MV)