SALISBURY — Salisbury’s Maxwell Foote, a rising senior at Gray Stone Day School, earned the highest possible ACT composite score of 36. 

About one-quarter of 1 percent of students who take the ACT earn a top score. In the U.S. high school graduating class of 2023, only 2,542 out of 1.39 million students who took the ACT earned a top composite score of 36. The ACT consists of tests in English, mathematics, reading and science, each scored on a scale of 1-36. A student’s composition score is the average of the four test scores. The score of ACT’s optional writing test is reported separately and is not included within the ACT composite score. 

“Earning a perfect score on the ACT is an exceptional achievement,” Principal Jeff Walter said. ” This academic accomplishment signifies Max’s readiness for the academic rigors that lie ahead and is a reflection of our commitment to provide a rigorous college preparatory curriculum. We are thrilled to celebrate with Max on his academic successes.”

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 the skills and knowledge they will need to succeed in the first-year courses in the core subject areas. ACT test scores are one of multiple criteria that colleges and universities consider when making admissions decisions

Foote is a resident of Salisbury and the son of Chris and Amy Foote.