Lakehill senior Matthew McCall earned the highest possible ACT composite score of 36. In the U.S. high school graduating class of 2019, only 4,879 out of nearly 1.8 million students, or fewer than half of one percent (.5 percent), who took the ACT earned the top composite score of 36. The final numbers from the 2020 testing cycle have not been reported because of later testing due to the pandemic.

The ACT consists of tests in English, mathematics, reading, and science, each scored on a scale of 1–36. A student’s composite score is the average of the four test scores. Matthew is the second Lakehill student in the last year to score the highest possible ACT composite score, following Preston Bied (‘20). The ACT is a curriculum-based achievement exam that measures what students have learned in school. Students who earn a 36 composite score have likely mastered all of the skills and knowledge they will need to succeed in first-year college courses in the core subject areas.

“I completed several practice exams in preparation,” said Matthew. “I knew I was capable of scoring a 36 and was pretty excited to share the news with my family.”

In a time when there was much uncertainty and fluctuation surrounding test policies for universities across the country, Matthew persisted with his academics and test preparation in order to be an excellent candidate for the college of his choice.