East Ridge Students Notch Perfect ACT Scores

East Ridge High School Seniors Matthew Ickstadt, son of Jim and Jean Ickstadt, and Eaman Shire, daughter of Abdurahman Warsame and Muhiba Yusuf, both earned a top composite score of 36 on a recent ACT test.

Nationally, while the actual number of students earning a composite score of 36 varies from year to year, on average, less than one-tenth of one percent of students who take the ACT earn the top score. Among test takers in the high school graduating class of 2013, only 1,162 of more than 1.8 million students earned a composite score of 36.

The ACT consists of tests in English, mathematics, reading and science. Each test is scored on a scale of 1-36, and a student's composite score is the average of the four test scores. Some students also take ACT’s optional Writing Test, but the score for that test is reported separately and is not included within the ACT composite score.

In a letter recognizing this exceptional achievement, ACT CEO Jon Whitmore said, “While test scores are just one of the many criteria that most colleges consider when making admission decisions, your exceptional ACT composite score should prove helpful as you pursue your education and career goals.”

District 833 remains above the state and national averages in all subjects and overall for ACT scores, with Minnesota receiving the top scores in the nation. Among all students in District 833 participating, ACT average scale scores remained similar or slightly decreased in 2013 compared to 2012 across the subjects of English (22.8 to 22.8), Math (24.3 to 23.9), Reading (23.4 to 23.5) and Science (23.5 to 23.3). The district’s overall average composite scale score decreased slightly from 23.6 to 23.5.

ACT test scores are accepted by all major U.S. colleges, and exceptional scores of 36 provide colleges with evidence of student readiness for the academic rigors that lie ahead.