A new study by the American Institutes for Research revealed graduating college seniors lack proficient literacy skills required to perform relatively basic quantitative tasks.

The National Survey of America's College Students evaluated nearly 2,000 students at 80 randomly selected two- and four-year public and private schools across the country.

According to the survey, "more than 75 percent of students at 2-year colleges and more than 50 percent of students at 4-year colleges do not score at the proficient level of literacy."

The study suggests many students cannot perform tasks such as calculating total costs from a catalog, identifying specific locations on a map, figuring tips and balancing a checkbook.

"Generally, my sense is that there is a lack of quantitative skills coming out of college," University of Wisconsin psychology professor Rick Jenison said.

Jenison also noted issues with quantitative skills begin before students even get to college.

"In some sense, college courses are not geared at deficiencies that should have been addressed in high school," said UW associate mathematics professor Paul Milewski. "This is all stuff that's assumed to be known when entering college."

Basic literacy, as the survey demonstrates, is lacking not only from students entering college, but also from college graduates.

While students were surveyed in areas of prose literacy, document literacy and quantitative literacy, tasks including calculations proved toughest for those tested.

Approximately 30 percent of students at two-year schools and close to 20 percent of students at four-year institutions were reported to have only basic quantitative literacy skills. According to the survey, skills at this level are "those necessary to compare ticket prices or calculate the cost of a sandwich and a salad from a menu."

Around campus, some students admit to being stumped by everyday quantitative tasks.

"I was playing cards with my grandma and I couldn't add up the score because I didn't have a calculator," UW sophomore Katie Zignego confessed. "I'm not used to adding it up in my head because I've always used calculators as a crutch."

Katie Hansen, UW sophomore and potential business major, said she believed she has everyday math skills down, but some of the skills mentioned in the survey would not come as naturally.

"I learned most of those things in grade school," she said, "but I didn't learn how to compare credit-card interest until, well, never."

Despite these statistics, the survey also offers good news.

Among the students tested, the overall literacy of men and women was relatively equal, indicating progress in bridging the longtime education gap between the sexes.

Also, there is no significant difference in literacy across different majors or between public and private institutions.

Regardless of major or school type, Milewski emphasized the importance of everyday literacy skills for college grads to have a competitive advantage in the workplace.

"I think in any kind of job or business, if you can estimate simple quantities fast, you have a leg up," he said, "especially in societies where not everyone else can do it."