Adam Exley has achieved something not a lot of students can claim: he scored a perfect 36 on the ACT.
Adam Exley, son of Anita and Michael Exley, has achieved something not a lot of students can claim: he scored a perfect 36 on the ACT test. The 15-year-old New Philadelphia High sophomore said he thought he had done well, “but I didn’t know how well,” he said.
The last perfect score recorded at the school was in 2002.
He didn’t study for the test. “I took it the first time when I was in eighth grade and scored a 30," he said. "I figured if I could understand my mistakes, I could probably get a 36."
High scores are nothing new to Exley. He was moved ahead a year when he was in second grade, and took the Explore test, a four subject placement test, similar to the ACT, when he was in fifth grade. The test is usually given between sixth and eighth grades. He plans to take the SAT this coming school year.
ACT and SAT tests are standardized placement vehicles for college admission. Originally known as American College Testing and the Scholastic Aptitude Test, they have outgrown their titles and now use only the acronyms. Those scores, along with the grade point average, determine the student’s potential success in college. Admissions to highly academic colleges and universities require high scores in all three areas. A 36 on the ACT, 1600 on the SAT and 4.0 or higher GPA are the top possible scores a student can achieve. It is highly unusual to do so.
Advanced Placement courses help students to score higher on standardized tests. Exley, as a sophomore, has taken the AP English Seminar and AP US History. He plans to continue taking as many advanced classes as he can in his last two years of high school.
Academic courses are not the only passkey into higher education. Colleges and Universities want to see evidence of other interests and activities. Exley, a trumpet player, takes private lessons and plays in the high school wind ensemble, symphonic, jazz and marching bands. He participates in solo and ensemble competitions. This year, he will once again attend the Trumpet Institute in Interlochen, Michigan. “While I enjoy all kinds of music, I think classical is still my favorite,” he said.
Exley said his hobbies are mostly doing independent research, particularly in the fields of engineering and science, and developing electronic projects. He built a computer when he was 12, and recently made a 3D printer and a mini helicopter.
“I usually study one or two hours every day during the regular school year,” Exley said. “If I could change anything, it would be to change the intensity, and ease the stress that advanced classes and testing put on the student. If you don’t make it a point to schedule some time for yourself, there is no break.”
Mother, Anita, was quick to praise Adam’s teachers throughout his schooling.
“They have given him extra support to keep him interested in his subjects,” she said. “We are very grateful for their help and understanding, and Adam appreciates and thrives on his relationships with his teachers. People don’t really like standardized testing very well, but those tests assess each child’s level of understanding, and determine his or her placement in given subjects. We have found them extremely helpful.”
Adam Exley hasn’t decided where he wants to go to school after high school. “I think I’ll just stick to my individual plan, try to relax and watch it all unfold,” he said.