Sitting in her English class, Alice Early noticed that her friends had started posting their ACT scores on Instagram. Knowing that she had also taken the same test recently, the Kingwood Park High School junior decided to check her score.
Once logged in, her score on the ACT appeared – a perfect score of 36.
“I kind of figured that it was some sort of system error, that they hadn’t loaded the numbers in properly,” Early said with a laugh. “It was pretty wild. It was kind of shocking.”
According to the ACT National Profile Report for the graduating class of 2022, out of the 1.3 million students who took the ACT that year, only 0.25% (3,376) obtained a perfect score. The average composite score for that year was 19.8.
Leading up to the test day, Early had done roughly three hours worth of practice ACT tests but was still slightly nervous that may not have been enough.
In the end, it was enough preparation for Early, who considers herself a good test taker overall. Once she saw the score on her phone screen, Early took a screenshot and immediately sent it to her parents.
“I figured they would be stoked because it is a door opener,” Early said.
Early was born on the East Coast and lived in Vermont and Connecticut before moving to Texas when she was 15 years old. That was her freshman year at Kingwood Park High School and in the midst of the COVID pandemic.
Despite going through the pandemic at the same time as being at a new school, Early said she was embraced by her new home and that has helped her succeed today.
“Even the first year I was here during COVID, I got the vibe that even though it is a really big school, there are a lot of teachers and counselors who care about getting you to succeed and to college. That was immensely helpful.”
Along with the teachers and staff of Kingwood Park High School helping her fit right in, it didn’t take long for Early to fit into the Texas style.
“This state assimilates you really quickly. I was two years in and I decided to buy some cowboy boots,” she said. “I own them now and they are in my closet.”
Early hopes to return to the East Coast for college, where she plans to pursue a degree in archaeology. “It’s something I’ve always been interested in,” Early said. Although she does not want to be like Indiana Jones, she does look forward to becoming a professor.
At KPHS, Early was a part of the UIL Social Studies team that reached the Regional competition this year. The junior has also been involved in theater, JROTC, Key Club, French Club and Conservation Club in her time on campus.