Everett Burns Achieves Top Score

Senior among an elite group.

Senior Everett Burns earned the highest possible ACT composite score of 36. Only one-quarter of 1 percent of students who take the ACT earn a top score, putting Burns in elite company. For context, in 2022, 3,376 out of 1.34 million students who took the ACT earned a top composite score of 36.

Typically taken in a student’s junior year, 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. The score for ACT’s optional writing test is reported separately and is not included within the ACT composite score.

“Earning a top score on the ACT is a remarkable achievement,” said ACT CEO Janet Godwin. “A student’s exceptional score of 36 will provide any college or university with ample evidence of their readiness for the academic rigors that lie ahead.”

Burns has not made a college decision to date but has the opportunity to earn significant scholarship dollars from several universities.

The ACT is a curriculum-based achievement exam that measures what students have learned in school. Students who earn a 36 composite score have likely mastered all the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in first-year college courses in the core subject areas. ACT scores are accepted by major four-year colleges and universities across the U.S.

Congratulations, Everett! We are proud of you.