Local High School Student Receives Perfect Score On ACT

CRANBERRY, (KDKA)— Many colleges require that prospective students take the three-hour ACT test.

Less than one-tenth of one percent receive a perfect score.

One of those students attends North Allegheny High School. Her name is Tess Christensen, a 16-year-old rising senior, who scored a perfect 36.

"It's mostly just a battle against time," Christensen said. "So I was mostly thinking Arrrrgh! especially during the science section."

She says there was an odd science question about toads.

"They explained the entire process of the toads, and then collecting the data they had, like four different graphs on it. And then the first question was, Why did they put screens over the toads' habitats?' And the answer was, To keep the toads from escaping. So it's a really weird test."

She took the same approach as she did with her successful SAT test.

"Process of elimination is a foolproof process for any test."

But she's not a one track student. Tess runs high hurdles and cross country for North Allegheny, she wrote her own song for the ukulele, and even finds time to hop in the saddle at Rockin' Horse Stables near Cranberry.

Tess enjoys breathing the clean air of this country setting. Though she hasn't mapped her future yet, she's pretty sure it will have something to do with keeping the air, and the rest of the world, free of pollution.

"All I know is I want to make the largest, most positive impact I can on the environment."

It's a good bet that Tess will meet the test.

Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter