Branson High School senior Austin Matthews has achieved a perfect ACT superscore of 36 following his October test.
A superscore is achieved by averaging the highest scores from each ACT test section across multiple test attempts.
Dixie Bailey, Branson High School senior counselor who has been with the district for 18 years, said she could not recall another student reaching this milestone during her tenure.
“He was so humble when I went to congratulate him,” said Bailey. “This opens up some very big opportunities for him in terms of scholarships and college admissions.”
Austin said he was “more surprised than anything” when he saw his result: “I had expected a 34 at most but was beyond excited when I saw my score,” he said. “I’ve taken the ACT one time before, and I’m really thankful for all the teachers who helped me along the way. I wouldn’t have been nearly as successful without their support.”
Matthews plans to pursue a degree in physics, specifically quantum physics, and hopes to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) or the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).