Eastlake High School and Redmond resident Romir Singla, son of Aarti Gupta and Vipan Singla, earned the highest possible ACT composite score of 36.

Only about 0.2 percent of students who take the ACT earn a top score. In the U.S. high school graduating class of 2018, only 2,760 out of more than two million graduates who took the ACT earned a top composite score of 36.

This was Singla’s first attempt on the ACT.

“I was genuinely surprised by my score. Taking some practice tests really helped,” Singla said in a press release. “However, I think what was most important was taking AP courses that kept me ahead of the subject matter on these standardized tests. It allowed me to feel more confident to perform well and I was able to feel relaxed on test-taking day. In the future, I want to go into medicine so I am definitely relieved to have gotten the 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. The score for ACT’s optional writing test is reported separately and is not included within the ACT composite score.

In a letter to Singla, recognizing his achievement, ACT CEO Marten Roorda stated, “Your achievement on the ACT is significant and rare. Your exceptional scores will provide any college or university with ample evidence of your readiness for the academic rigors that lie ahead.”