Local students score high on placement tests
Only 2,235 of the nearly 2.1 million students who took the ACT this year earned a “perfect score.” One Seneca Valley High School senior was among those few.
Urvi Gupta and other students across Butler County have scored exceptionally well recently on college readiness exams.
Gupta, 17, earned a “perfect score,” or the highest possible composite score, 36, when she took the ACT in September. Test-takers can miss a few questions and still earn a 36, as the score is an average of the four subject areas: math, reading, English and science.
“(Miss Gupta's) achievement on the ACT is significant and rare,” Marten Roorda, ACT chief executive officer, wrote in a letter. “While scores are just one of multiple criteria that most colleges consider when making admission decisions, (her) exceptional ACT composite score should prove helpful as (she) pursues (her) education and career goals.”
The daughter of Rajeev and Minoo Gupta, Urvi, first took the ACT in spring 2016, earning a 34. But she decided to retest as a senior with hopes of scoring even higher.
A dedicated student, Gupta is currently taking eight advanced placement (AP) level courses.
“I think that's part of what helped me (to do well on the ACT),” she said. “It's about challenging yourself.”
Ed Colby, ACT senior director of public relations and communications, agreed.
“It's students who have taken challenging courses and worked hard that earn the highest scores,” he said.
Gupta also earned a 2370 out of 2400 when she took the SAT test, which included three sections, math, reading and writing.
Gupta said earning her impressive scores has been a “humbling” and “bittersweet” experience.
“It's just a number,” she said. “There's things I've done that are more significant than that.”
Gupta, who hopes to become a doctor, participates in community service and has already begun shadowing people in the medical field.
“I love what I'm doing,” she said. “It never really feels like work.”
<h3>Jefferson Ford</h3>Butler High School senior, Jefferson Ford, 17, scored 800, the highest possible score, on his Math II SAT subject test and 1510 out of 1600 on the SAT, which included his math and reading scores.The son of Mary and Douglas Ford, Jefferson takes six AP level courses and plays baseball, basketball and ultimate frisbee. Plus, he serves as class president and leader of the Hometown High-Q team.Like Gupta, he didn't need to study much for his college readiness exams — he's been preparing for years.“It's about keeping a goal-oriented lifestyle,” Ford said. “You have to give everything 100 percent ... and keep a positive attitude.”He and his two good friends, Cullen Paulisick and Nathan Callithen, have a three-way tie for number one in class rank.“There's all these numbers, and he's at the top everywhere, but it does him no justice,” said Shannon McGraw, the college tech prep coordinator for the Butler School District. “All of that aside, he is such an awesome individual. He has such a caring heart ... He would do anything for anyone, and he does.”Following high school graduation, Ford hopes to attend Georgetown University, where he will study international business. He has considered a minor in a math-related subject.
<h3>Amber Griffith and William Morgus</h3>Amber Griffith and William Morgus, both seniors at Knoch High School, earned perfect scores on sections of the ACT.The daughter of Lawrence and Pamela Griffith, Amber, 18, earned a perfect score, 36, on the math section of the ACT in February and a perfect score, 800, on the SAT's Math II subject test in June.She wasn't surprised that she scored well in math, as she's always performed well in the subject. She didn't need to study either.Though she takes several AP level courses, she finds time to volunteer through the National Honor Society, tutor her peers and take tae kwon do classes. She stays on track by keeping an organized schedule.She has applied to MIT, the University of Chicago, Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pennsylvania.Morgus, 17, earned a 36 on the reading section of the ACT in October. It was the second time that he took it.“It was a surprise for everyone,” explained Morgus, who didn't prepare at all.When he took the ACT the first time, he scored a 34, even though he didn't look into the test's format before the test day. His composite score was 34 again the second time.The son of Michael and Susan Mogus, he takes several AP level classes, plays soccer and tennis, serves as class treasurer and participates in the speech and debate team, Future Business Leaders of America, Spanish Club and other clubs.He will attend the University of Pennsylvania working toward a dual degree in business and engineering.
<h3>More than numbers</h3>Overall, the students agreed that while their test scores are impressive, they hope colleges judge them on more than the numbers.“A good score ... it's not a goal,” Gupta said. “It's the result of hard work.”
