Jeremy Hwang, a student at Grissom High School, was out with some friends when he got the news that he had earned a 36 on the ACT, the highest score one can get on the nationally recognized college assessment. 'We were obviously freaking out,' says Hwang, 'and I just felt very thankful to just have opportunities to do well. To actually succeed in that... it felt nice.' He says that his brother got a perfect score before he did, and he got a lot of advice from him about how to study. Jeremy hopes to be able to pass that advice along to someone else.
'It's amazing to me that anyone could take the ACT on the first try and make a 36,' says Grissom High Principal Jeanne Greer, 'but if I had to guess one person that might do it, then it's Jeremy Hwang.' She adds that Jeremy has always been a stand-out student, and even during his Freshman year other students recognized his intelligence and sought him out for help with their own schoolwork.
Zachary Barbre of Huntsville High School also earned a perfect score on his ACT test this year. He says, 'I kind of just went in and did the best that I could.' Zachary had worked hard to get ready for the test by participating in the ACT prep course offered at Huntsville High. While he wanted to do well, Zachary says he 'wasn't especially trying' for the perfect score. Zachary plans to study mechanical engineering and says he enjoys learning about building, design, and how things move.
'Zach Barbre,' says Huntsville High Principal Aaron King, 'he's a special kid. He's done so many great things here at Huntsville High School. For a student to earn a perfect ACT score... that's pretty phenomenal.' He adds that its not something you take for granted, and isn't something any school sees every year.
A perfect ACT score is quite rare, with only a small number of students able to achieve a thirty-six on the test. In 2020, a little over 1.6 million students took the ACT and only 5,579 were able to earn a perfect score. The next-highest score of thirty-five was earned by approximately 16,000 students. The average ACT score nationwide last year was a 20.6.