By Aimee Bisbee
Rogers, ARK–Three Haas Hall Rogers seniors, Juan Campos-Velez, Tegan Houk, and Kaitlyn Kuehn have scored perfect and almost-perfect scores on the ACT this year. Their scores will aid them in getting accepted into their “dream schools” this spring. Though it may seem luck and good genes got them to where they are, these scholars describe the hard work it took to get their scores.
Campos-Velez, a senior who received a 36 on his ACT, states how he studied. “I did some ACT practice on a website,” he elaborated. “Over the course of two days, I did one practice ACT.”
Keuhn, a senior with a 35 on her ACT, had a more innovative approach. She states, “I asked ChatGPT to write me questions, and then give me answers.” She continued, “Chat GPT was a beloved resource.”
Testing advice can also be found on social media. Houk, a senior with a 34 on her ACT, states she found helpful tips on TikTok.
None of them got their superb scores on the first try. Collectively, the three of them took seven ACTs.
Houk got a 27 on her first attempt. She describes how it made her feel. “It motivated me because I wanted to see how far I could go. Since that was my starting point, I knew I wouldn’t be satisfied with anything if it wasn’t higher.”
The ACT can be surprising and revealing, especially for those taking it for the first time. One of Campos-Velez’s strategies was to not study for the first test. He states, “It’s a good idea for the first ACT you take to not study, just to see where you’re at.” He continued, “I thought I was going to do good in math, but it was always my lowest score. So sometimes you need to study for things you don’t expect.”
Kuehn recommends looking at past tests to narrow down what to study. She states, “Pay attention to what you’re worst at on the ACT Aspire. I know it might be hard, and you might not like it…but when you’re a junior what you did worst at on the ACT Aspire is what you need to put more of your effort into because it will be your hardest on the ACT.”
From mortuary science to physics, to studying abroad, these scholars all have high ambitions for their futures. Kuehn, whose dream school is Oxford, shares how her ACT score will help her achieve her goal, “In the U.K. they rely on test scores a lot more than they do GPA…Luckily with a 34, I’m above the minimum requirement, so that’s very helpful and takes a lot of stress off my shoulders.”
Campos-Velez is applying to 12 colleges, however, with his perfect ACT score he has his eyes set on studying physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Also in the realm of science, Houk hopes her ACT score will help her get into the University of Minnesota Twin Cities’ top-of-the-country mortuary science program.
For every scholar who receives a perfect score on the ACT Haas Hall gives everyone a day off in their honor. Campos-Velez says he plans on using his day to go on a family vacation.
