October 6, 2021
Nicholas Joy, a senior at Atascocita High School, scored a perfect 36 on his ACT, which less than 1% of students in the United States receive.
The ACT is scored by taking the student’s 4 scaled section scores and averaging them. To receive a 36, a student must receive an almost perfect score in every section. According to the ACT National Profile Report for the graduating class of 2020, only 1% of students score a 34 or higher on their ACT. Scoring a perfect 36 is only achieved by 0.334% of test takers and sets any student apart, even among other top scorers.
Joy is the president of the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) organization at Atascocita High School. Last year, through the special health science career courses offered by Humble ISD, he received a professional certification to become a patient care technician, which allows him to work in hospitals. Joy recently received a clinical placement through the health science courses and is working toward receiving his medical assistant certification during this school year.
Joy was working at the hospital when his ACT score was released. “I will say I was anxious that day. I was down at Houston Methodist taking a short break when I realized I had received an email saying my score was out. When I actually viewed my score, I was shocked and felt a mix of relief finally knowing that I had my score and I was done with that phase,” he said.
Joy plans on becoming a childhood cancer physician in the future and hopes to attend Vanderbilt University after he graduates. He hopes to one day work at St. Jude’s Hospital. “That would be the dream because no family has to receive a bill and St. Jude is able to pioneer so much research in the field. Hopefully one day we will get very close, if not all the way, to eradicating childhood cancer,” he said.
His best advice for students is to take practice tests. “If you are willing to put in the effort, time yourself, and take these practice tests on your own time it will not only save you money, but your scores will improve,” he said. Joy also credits his teachers Itzel Burt, who teaches Algebra II and Geometry at Atascocita High School, and Sara Hansen, the Health Science teacher and HOSA sponsor for Atascocita High School, for shaping his educational experience and preparing him for the ACT and after graduation. Before going to Atascocita High School he also attended Atascocita Springs Elementary and Timberwood Middle School.
Joy was not the only student in Humble ISD to receive a perfect score on their ACT. Over the past year Daphne Han, a 2021 graduate from Kingwood High School, and John Logan, a 2021 graduate from Kingwood Park High School, also received perfect scores on their ACT. Daphne Han is currently attending Carnegie Mellon University, and is studying Computer Science and Computational Biology. John Logan is currently attending New York University and is majoring in Computer Science.
Photo credits: Presley Helmcamp