Sequoyah Student Earns Perfect ACT Score

Submitted by the Cherokee County School District

Sequoyah High School junior Mackenzie Joy has achieved a perfect score on the ACT.

The daughter of Stephanie and William Joy earned the top composite score of 36 on a recent administration of the college entrance and placement 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 1 percent of students who take the ACT earns the top score. Among test-takers in the high school graduating class of 2014, only 1,407 of nearly 1.85 million students earned a composite score of 36, according to ACT.

The ACT includes English, mathematics, reading and science sections; each section is scored on a scale of 1-36, and a student’s composite score is the average of the four. Some students also take ACT’s optional Writing Test, but that score is reported separately and is not included within the composite.

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.”

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, according to ACT.

Mackenzie will be recognized by the Cherokee County School Board and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo at the board’s meeting on Nov. 6.

(Photo: Mackenzie Joy. Credit: Cherokee County School District)