Local Luke Aces the ACT

By MARIE TABELA | Special to the Palisadian-Post

Every year, millions of high school students nervously take the SAT or ACT, hoping for a score good enough to get into the college of their choice. But for about one-tenth of 1 percent of ACT test takers, a perfect score is earned.

We often hear tales of perfect scores, but rarely meet the people behind them.

Enter Luke Laurence.

A junior from the Westside, Laurence is a boarding student at Cate School in Carpinteria.

To prepare for the exam, which has sections on English, math, reading and science, Laurence meticulously went through ACT prep books his father sent him from Amazon.

An obvious self-starter (many of us would end up using the books as coasters), Laurence went through the books, took the practice tests, and made sure to go over and learn from anything he got wrong.

Laurence said his decision to take the ACT over the SAT was simple: He felt the ACT was more straightforward, and he did not like that the SAT featured two different math sections: one that allowed a calculator and one that did not.

He was also happier that the ACT included a science section.

While he is just beginning the school touring process to determine which college he wants to attend, he has hopes of following in his father’s footsteps and going to Brown University.

In the meantime, Laurence savors two of California’s greatest pastimes: hanging out with his friends and surfing.

He also runs track and field, and enjoys the 100 and 200-meter races, as well as his newfound interest in water polo.

At Cate School, students are required to play a sport every season, and this winter, him and his fellow surfers get to spend their “sports block” riding waves.

As a well-rounded student, Laurence is still trying to decide what to study once he gets to college, but for right now, his favorite subject is history.

Perhaps with such skills, he will one day make an appearance in the history books himself.