On September 11, 2021, Valarie Rubinstein ‘22 sat down in her seat at Central Bucks South High School to take the ACT. For many teenagers, standardized tests are daunting tasks, inevitable to the student experience. This was no different for Valarie. To prepare for the ACT, Valarie said she “mainly practiced with a book of practice tests and reviewed common math and science topics on the exam”. While taking the exam, Valarie said she “…was relatively calm,” due to her familiarity with the format. She recommends taking as many practice tests as possible.

The hardest part of the exam, Valarie said, “was not letting my mind drift too much from the test since it can fly by so fast ….” Like many students, letting your mind wander in class or during a test is a dangerous game to play. 

Valarie also noted that the ACT was more strenuous than the SAT. Time set apart the two exams for her. The science and math sections were the most difficult to manage, time-wise. Valarie had to read the passages, comprehend them, and then answer questions. Luckily, Valarie said that she had prepared in small increments over a long period of time, so she was ready for whatever was thrown at her. Since she was well-prepared and calm, it was no surprise that she performed well. When asked how she reacted when she received her perfect score, Valarie said, “I was, of course, happy, but I’m also aware that it was at least partially due to luck.” 

The entire Mount community is proud of Valarie and all she has accomplished. This score is a testament to the hard work she puts into her academics, and she has definitely earned it.

*This story was originally published in the print edition, December of 2021.