Student Spotlight: Cole Brewer
Cole Brewer is a 17 year-old upcoming Senior at Model Laboratory School. Cole spends his free time among many of his favorite activities including playing video games and volunteering at the library. Cole plans to pursue a degree in physics and is waiting to hear about scholarships and financial aid. Cole wants to use his degree to secure a career in astronomy or astrophysics.
Cole took the ACT for the 2nd time in March 2016–his first time was in 7th grade—and scored a 33 composite. Cole scored a 35 in English, 28 in math, 35 in reading, and a 33 in science. This score puts him in the 99th percentile in both the state of Kentucky and nationally, meaning Cole scored higher on the ACT than 99% of other students in the nation.
This accomplishment did not come easily, however. Cole put many years of work into achieving this score. Cole used many strategies to increase his ACT score including Khan Academy online preparation, ACT practice tests, weekly studying, and private tutoring. Cole said, “Without my tutors, I wouldn’t have gotten the score I did, especially in Math.” Cole put 2-3 hours weekly into preparing for the ACT. He reaped many benefits from his tutoring sessions—his score increase and confidence level were among the most notable. Cole increased his score from the 80th percentile to the 99th percentile between his two tests. He also became more confident in his abilities, partly due to his increase in familiarity with the test.
Like many students, Cole faced a multitude of challenges preparing for the ACT. According to Cole, his two biggest challenges were staying within the time constraints of the ACT and finding motivation. To combat the strain in timing, Cole used speed drills. He practiced his skills while timing himself to become familiar with the time he would receive on the test. Motivation is a difficult challenge to overcome. Cole said that he had to push himself weekly to study and put the time and effort necessary into his preparation. He said that he could not have done it without the push and support from others, including his tutors and parents.
Cole leaves very sage advice for younger students: “Do not procrastinate; it’s never too early.” Cole knows what he is talking about here. The ACT is a tricky test that takes years of preparation to master. The ACT is not something to take lightly, as it has a profound effect on the rest of your educational career including scholarships, college admissions, and merit-based camps and academic programs. So, from this point forward, strive to be more like Cole. Work hard, study hard, then bask in the glow of your success.
Cole Brewer
Model Laboratory School
Graduating Class of 2017
