GCISD is proud to share that Colleyville Heritage High School senior Derek Yang and Grapevine High School senior Conor McGall have both achieved a perfect score of 36 on the ACT.
“I was very surprised that I got a perfect score. I started texting all my friends and It was really cool,” said Yang on receiving the news.
When asked about his preparation for the exam, Yang mentioned that he studied the official ACT practice book, but primarily credits his teachers and the district.
“GCISD has done a really good job at providing a good education, especially in science, reading and math,” said Yang.
Yang, who hopes to continue his education in healthcare at the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, or Rice University, first discovered the news of his perfect score while he was volunteering at an emergency room.
“I want to pursue healthcare because I want to impact people's lives positively through diverse pathways and reach people in all walks of life,” added Yang. "I'll get to work with people, which I love, and I'll get to build meaningful relationships with colleagues and patients.”
For McGall, this is his second perfect score on a college entrance exam. Last school year he achieved a perfect score of 1600 on the SAT.
“It’s rewarding to see my hard work pay off,” he shared. McGall also attributes his success to teachers and taking practice tests, too.
McGall hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin, Duke University or the University of Chicago to pursue a degree in biochemistry and eventually work in the academic research field.
McGall was first inspired by academic research in the summer of 2022. After hearing about a research initiative from a family friend, he was able to attend a summer contagion program at the University of Chicago. A year later, he was accepted into a more rigorous research program studying cancer cells. In preparation for his studies at college, this year, McGall is taking AP Research and biochemistry.
Congratulations to Yang and McGall on their success!