Amara Nwabueze, a junior at Zachary High School, recently scored a perfect 36 on her ACT. That puts her in the top 0.3% of students nationally.

When asked how she did it, Amara kept things simple. "I took lots of practice tests," she said. "They familiarized me with the test and helped me see the patterns and feel more comfortable." Rather than trying to memorize every little detail, she made sure she understood the basics and practiced under realistic, timed conditions.

Her mom's advice for other parents was practical and clear: start early and practice often. "Practice makes perfect," she explained. "Use all of the available resources. The more they expose themselves to the questions, the better they'll do."

Amara echoed her mother's advice for other students aiming high. "Make sure you've taken timed practice tests before the actual day," she suggested. "You definitely don’t want your first experience with the ACT to be when you're sitting in the real thing." She also advised students not to get distracted by the clock but to turn any nervousness into useful focus.

She started prepping seriously in the 9th grade, and the pressure definitely built up. "Anxiety was the toughest part," Amara admitted. "I'd be watching the clock tick down and start thinking, ‘What do I even do now?’" Ultimately, though, she learned to channel that anxiety into extra focus. "I learned to tell myself 'Don't psych yourself out. Don't just stare at the clock. Stick to your plan.'"

Outside of test prep, Amara’s interests are wide-ranging. She enjoys math and chemistry but also loves soccer, music, baking, drawing, and writing. Inspired by her older brother Eni, who's currently at LSU, she's strongly considering attending Louisiana State University herself. She hopes to eventually go into medicine, possibly specializing in orthopedics.

The best part about achieving this perfect score, according to Amara, has been the support and excitement from everyone around her. "The way people celebrated made me feel really special," she shared, appreciating the encouragement from her family, teachers, and classmates.

Teachers at Zachary High, especially Ms. Ackman who starts each class period with an ACT bellringer, played a huge role in her success, providing consistent practice and strong foundational lessons. "When I first took the test, I was excited to realize that the questions were the same ones that I saw each day. That familiarity helped me to focus and be less nervous." 

Amara didn't get her perfect score on her first try. She spent years studying the test and making subtle improvements. She was driven by her goal (and by a bit of competitiveness with her older brother) and maintained the dedication to stick to it, practice test after practice test. Now, Amara hopes to help others by offering tutoring and coaching. "I think I learned a lot when I was prepping for the test, and I hope I can use that experience to help other students."

With her perfect ACT score behind her and big dreams ahead, Amara is surprisingly humble. "I'm just so thankful for everyone's support. I couldn't have done it without my teachers, parents, and friends."