Christopher Albright (12) took the ACTs a second time to earn a better score so his college application could stand out from the rest, but what he did not expect was a perfect score of 36.

“My mother wanted me to retake it, because she wanted me to get a higher score,” Albright said.

The feeling of earning a 36 was a surprise to Albright.

“I was surprised and happy. It was a nice feeling to be like, ‘Wow, I achieved my full potential,’” Albright said.

Unlike the SATs, the ACTs have a science section challenging students to think back to basic science concepts.

“For science, make sure you read the passages,” Albright said.

Many standardized tests focus on the basic skills stressed and emphasized throughout one’s school career, such as picking details from a passage or calculating math problems.

“For the math, you need to know it is basic concepts. You need to remember the basics,” Albright said.

The pressure to do well on standardized test can stray the focus of some test takers.

“Stay focused, and try the whole time,” Albright said.

To register for the ACT Test, visit http://www.actstudent.org/.