Somewhere between high school-level math classes, jazz band practice and water polo, eighth-grader Zachary Blumenfeld found time to do the near impossible.
Zach, a 14-year-old from Lincolnshire, earned a perfect score of 36 on his ACT college entrance exam, a feat accomplished by less than 1 percent of test takers.
“It is pretty much all my friends can talk about when they come up to me lately,” Zach said. “But I don’t really see the big deal. I mean, it is a high school test and I’m only in eighth grade.”
Because he is in eighth grade, the score is even more remarkable, said Kristin Crouse, spokeswoman for ACT.
In the last decade, only one other eighth-grader scored a 36.
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The ACT consists of tests in English, mathematics, reading and science.
Zach first took the ACT as a seventh-grader and scored a 34.
While that would thrill most, Zach knew he could do better.
“I’m sort of a perfectionist and just wanted to do it again,” Zach said. “I’m very pleased with my results this time, but it really doesn’t matter. I’m not in high school and I’m not applying to college. I mostly just do this for kicks.”
Katrina Bruley, assistant superintendent for instruction at Lincolnshire-Prairie View Elementary District 103, said it is common for students at Wright Junior High School to take college placement exams.
“Some eighth-graders perform better than you would expect them to,” Bruley said. “But I have never known of an eighth-grader to get a perfect score.”
This year’s ACT exam came at the heels of the SAT Zach took in January.
His score there was notable as well with 2,200 of 2,400 points..
Despite his perfect ACT score and nearly perfect SAT score, Zach will likely have to retest before applying to Stanford, his father Lee’s alma mater, where he wants to go to pursue a career in broadcast journalism.
Zach’s mother, Susan, doesn’t expect him to struggle when he tests for college.
“He didn’t even study and did the practice test once just to make sure he timed it right,” his mother said. “What is most amazing is right now he is mostly baffled by what a big deal this is.”
Susan Blumenfeld said Zach’s excitement these days has to do with geography, his favorite subject.
After winning the Illinois State Geography Championship March 30, Zach will compete in the National Geography Bee the week of May 21 in Washington, D.C.
“Personally, I’m much prouder of winning the state geography bee,” Zach said. “I put four years into studying for that, and it finally culminated into a state championship. With the ACT, I think I pretty much got lucky.”
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