EDWARDSVILLE - Josh Whittenburg, son of John and Crystal Whittenburg and a junior at Edwardsville High School, earned the highest possible ACT composite score of 36.

On average, only around one-tenth of 1 percent of students who take the ACT earn a top score. In the U.S. high school graduating class of 2017, only 2,760 out of more than 2 million graduates who took the ACT earned a composite score of 36.

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Whittenburg said he was very excited about scoring the 36 on the ACT. He said he believes his math and science strengths helped him with his score.

"I am also a pretty good writer," he said. "Math and science are definitely my strengths."

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. The score for ACT’s optional writing test is reported separately and is not included within the ACT composite score.

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Whittenburg has taken an abundance of honors level courses during his high school days. He has an A average at EHS. He also said the collegiate prep station in Maryville helped him with the ACT score. Josh's father also scored a 34 on his ACT, an interesting fact.

Whittenburg is also an EHS boys volleyball player. He said he is looking at playing volleyball in college, a sport he said loves.

In a letter to the student recognizing this exceptional achievement, ACT Chief Executive Officer Marten Roorda stated, “Your achievement on the ACT is significant and rare. While test scores are just one of the multiple criteria that most colleges consider when making admission decisions, your exceptional ACT composite score should prove helpful as you pursue your education and career goals.”

The ACT is a curriculum-based achievement exam that measures what students have learned in school. Students who earn a 36 composite score have likely mastered all of the skills and knowledge they will need to succeed in first-year college courses in the core subject areas.

ACT scores are accepted by all major four-year colleges and universities across the U.S.

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