Midway High School Senior Scores Perfect 36 on ACT

WACO, Texas ( FOX 44 ) — Esther Kim, a Midway High School senior, feels increasingly confident about her college prospects after achieving a perfect score of 36 on the ACT, a feat accomplished by less than one percent of test takers nationwide.

Reflecting on her initial experiences with standardized testing, Esther recalled, “It was intimidating. The first time I took the ACT, I finished less than half of the questions when time was up. It was something I had to work on.”

Support from her parents played a crucial role in her success.

“A lot of it was encouraging words. They were always saying, ‘We’re praying for you, and whatever happens, whatever score you get will be a score that we’re proud of because you’re trying so hard,’” Esther said.

Esther credits the academic environment at Midway High, particularly the college and career center run by counselor Nicole Miles, for her preparation.

“She does everything from SAT and ACT tutoring, which our students take great advantage of,” said Vanessa Gibson, school counselor.

For nearly five months, Esther dedicated herself to studying at the college and career center, balancing her time between academics and extracurricular commitments. As the student council president, president of the National Honor Society, and a member of the school orchestra, she has learned to manage her busy schedule effectively.

Despite the mental strain that comes with extensive test preparation, Esther encourages others to persevere. “It’s mentally straining to study and prepare for a test for that long. Sometimes, especially if you’re not getting any better, it can be discouraging. But my biggest piece of advice is to just keep going, and at some point, you’ll see improvement.”

Looking ahead to college, Esther is considering various Texas universities including The University of Texas at Austin, and Baylor University, along with prestigious schools like Princeton.

As an only child and ranked number one out of 645 in her senior class, Esther Kim is poised to take the next steps in her academic journey with confidence and determination.

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