Adam Cerini Aces the ACT
He's a certified ace. Huntington High School senior Adam Cerini earned a perfect composite score of 36 on the four-section ACT, a well-known college admission and placement exam.
Mr. Cerini aced the verbal, math, reading and science reasoning sections of the ACT. "In a letter we received from the ACT, they indicated that less than one-tenth of one percent of all test takers earns the top score," Huntington Principal Dr. Carmela Leonardi said. "Among seniors this year (nearly 1.6 million students took the ACT), only 588 earned a score of 36."
The Huntington teenager is smart, affable and articulate. He has shined academically from just about the moment he stepped into an elementary school classroom. But, just how did the senior manage to earn a perfect score on a major college admissions exam?
"Preparing for the ACT came in three parts," Mr. Cerini said. "One, studying for the SAT helped because the two tests are similar. Two, I did take practice ACT's during the week before to get acquainted with the format. Three, I have worked hard all through my 12 years of school to learn the information, but also to develop good working habits and problem-solving skills."
Did he know in the immediate aftermath of the test that he would earn a perfect composite score? "After I took the ACT, I did think it was a little easier than the SAT and I knew I bested it, but acing it was not my first guess," Mr. Cerini said. "Then again, we all have our good days, especially when we come prepared - only when we come prepared."
A self-described "music geek" who has played clarinet in both the high school wind ensemble and jazz band for the past four years, Mr. Cerini is a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. He takes his craft seriously and strives to be good at it, even downloading to his iPod songs the two school groups perform.
He's also a member of Huntington's science club and has participated in a variety of competitions, including protein modeling (he served as the captain), poster contests, environment-focused events, etc. He has spent three seasons on the Blue Devil cross country team and was a member of the winter track and field squad for one season.
"I really enjoy my art and music classes and teachers," Mr. Cerini said. "The arts really encourage creativity. While other core classes also benefit from creativity, I think an issue with our current education system is it's underestimation of how useful creativity could be in every classroom for every student."
While Mr. Cerini does not yet have a "first choice" for college, he does plan to major in some type of engineering and wants to participate in a co-op program with 18 months of paid work experience while pursuing an undergraduate degree.
"I'm really trying for scholarships, because I do not want to have to take out loans and get taken advantage of by 'loan sharks,'" he said. "My goal is to have a decent-paying, dynamic and fulfilling career as an engineer, while also pursuing other hobbies such as music, art, athletics and travel."
Mr. Cerini is fond of famous quotes and particularly identifies with one by Theodore Roosevelt: "Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground." It's a philosophy the senior tries to adhere to.
"Huntington has been a cool place to grow up," the teenager said. "We boast our own downtown that kids from other districts will come to because theirs aren't as thriving. We have our own bay, which I don't get to see much. It's the North Pole for us 'Stationers.' but I will miss the waterfront in college. School overall has been pretty fun, from rocket launches in sixth grade to the volleyball tournament in twelfth."