Seneca Valley students earn perfect scores on ACT, Keystone exams

Seneca Valley SD senior Urvi Gupta earned the highest possible composite score on the 2015-16 ACT Exam, and sophomore Carmyn Talento  earned a perfect score on the 2015-16 Biology Keystone Exam. On average, less than one-tenth of 1% of students who take the ACT earn a top score. In the U.S. high school graduating class of 2016, only 2,235 out of nearly 2.1 million graduates who took the ACT earned a composite score of 36; Gupta earned a 36. The ACT consists of tests in English, mathematics, reading and science, each scored on a scale of 1-36. A student’s composite score is the average of the four test scores. In a letter to the student recognizing this exceptional achievement, ACT Chief Executive Officer Marten Roorda stated, “(Miss Gupta’s) achievement on the ACT is significant and rare. While test 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.” Talento earned her perfect score after taking the Keystone Exam in spring 2016. Despite having several more years to make her decision about her post-high school education, Talento says she intends to major in a STEM-related field. “I especially enjoy space sciences,” she explained. The Keystone Exams are end-of-course assessments designed to assess proficiency of content in core subject areas. These exams are rigorous, and successful completion is necessary, as they are part of the commonwealth’s graduation requirements. It also provides in-depth performance levels to help guide teachers and parents in determining student mastery of course work.