Local student achieves top ACT score

Preston Thompson, son of Dr. Gregory Thompson & Tracy Thompson and a senior at Paris High School, earned the highest possible ACT composite score of 36. On average, about one-quarter of 1 percent of students who take the ACT earn a top score. In the U.S. high school graduating class of 2022, only 3,376 out of more than 1.34 million students who took the ACT earned a composite score of 36.

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. Some students also take the optional ACT writing test, but the score for that test is reported separately and is not included within the ACT composite score.

In a letter to the student recognizing this exceptional achievement, ACT Chief Executive Officer Marten Roorda stated, “Your achievement on the ACT is significant and rare. While test scores are just one of multiple 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.”

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