INDIAN SPRINGS VILLAGE – Indian Springs School senior Jack Markert took the ACT for the first time in July, and there will be no need for a second try as Markert recorded a perfect score of 36.

About one-tenth of 1 percent of students who take the standardized test for college admissions record a perfect score.

“It was very exciting,” said Markert, who took the test at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and said he benefitted from taking the test with friends. “I had a couple of friends taking it with me too, and that was relieving because I was super nervous.”

Markert took the SAT and two subject tests in June, scoring 800 on the Math Level 2 subject test and 790 on the chemistry subject test.

“For both tests, I was prepping for three to four months before,” Markert said about practice that included prep guides and practice tests.

Markert scored a 35 on a practice ACT test, so he knew a perfect score was possible.

He was concerned about the reading and science portions of the test because they require all correct answers to obtain a composite 36 score. A test taker can miss a question on the English and math portions and still score a 36.

Markert is taking three Advanced Placement courses during his senior year at Springs—French, physics and statistics—along with other courses including diplomatic history, English major authors and linear algebra. He has compiled a 4.4 GPA on a 4.6 scale.

A native of Birmingham, Markert attended Advent Episcopal School before enrolling at Indian Springs beginning with his eighth grade year.

Markert said he is undecided about a college destination but will consider institutions in California, the Northeast and some in the South.

He is also still considering his options about a course of study, though he likes engineering and biological science.

Markert leads the Scholar’s Bowl, Amnesty International, Interfaith and Science Olympiad groups at Indian Springs, and was selected to represent Indian Springs in the Youth Leadership Forum Class of 2018.

He serves as head of Judiciary and Commissioner of Education, which includes two years of leading the school’s writing center and tutoring system.

Markert also runs a spiritual empowerment program for children ages 4-8 for the Baha’i Faith religious community.