Fishers sophomore earns perfect ACT score

Submitted by HSE Schools

Earning a perfect score on the ACT is a rare accomplishment. Doing it as a sophomore makes it even more remarkable.

That is exactly what Fishers High School sophomore Zaid Abuhassan accomplished when he earned a perfect composite score of 36. His achievement also marks the second year in a row that a Hamilton Southeastern Schools student has reached this milestone.

A perfect ACT score requires strong performance across reading, math, science, and English, with each section scored on a scale of 1 to 36 and averaged into a composite score. Only a small percentage of students nationwide earn a perfect score each year.

For Abuhassan, the achievement came from preparation and learning from earlier testing experiences.

“I tried to be strategic in my studying and focus on the topics I was weakest in,” he said. “When I missed questions, I would go back, read the explanations, and figure out how to solve them correctly the next time.”

Abuhassan first took the ACT over the summer and scored a 35, just one question shy of perfection. When he took the test again in February, he was determined to improve.

“I was pretty excited when I got the results,” he said. “I had been practicing for quite a long time, so seeing it pay off was really nice.”

Beyond academics, Abuhassan stays involved in a wide range of activities. He participates in cross country and track, competes on the math team and Academic Super Bowl, and is involved in DECA and HOSA. He also qualified for international competitions through DECA earlier this year.

“Zaid’s accomplishment reflects the kind of curiosity and determination we see in many of our students,” says Fishers High School Principal Kyle Goodwin. “He has set a great example of what is possible through preparation and perseverance.”

Abuhassan says his favorite class at FHS is physics, and he is exploring future career paths in engineering or biology. He also credits the support available at school as an important part of his success.

“There’s so much support and so many resources,” he said. “Meeting with my counselor early on really helped me understand how everything works and set goals.”

While earning a perfect score is an impressive milestone, Abuhassan encourages other students not to wait until the last minute to begin preparing.