Tip-top test taker

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, September 18, 2007

By Brie Cohen, staff writer

GLENVILLE &8212; Glenville-Emmons High School senior Logan Hansen went through the usual steps to get into college. So this summer when he got his ACT results in the mail unusually early, he thought it was all a joke, especially when he opened it up to see his score, Hansen said.

It said he scored a perfect 36.

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&8220;I was kind of flabbergasted. I didn&8217;t believe it,&8221; he said.

Hansen&8217;s parents, Mike and Doreene, didn&8217;t even believe it at first.

&8220;We kind of figured he would do good, but didn&8217;t think he could get a perfect,&8221; Mike said.

Hansen said he did not study for the test he took June 9. This was the second time he took the test. He would not reveal what his previous test score was, but he said he did well &8212; not a perfect score &8212; but well enough for him to not be stressed-out going into the test the second time.

According to an ACT press release, the ACT consists of tests in English, math, reading and science. Each subject test is scored on a scale from 1 to 36. The average of the four tests determines the overall ACT score. Hansen said the easiest section of the test for him is the science section, because it involves reading graphs.

For the June test Hansen took, he was one of nine Minnesota students and one of 177 in the nation to achieve a perfect score, according to an ACT press release.

ACT Inc. is based in Iowa City, Iowa. Started in 1959, the name once stood for American College Testing Program but was shortened in 2005 to just ACT, pronounced as three letters, A-C-T. The test was once recognized by institutions in the Midwest and South but now it is recognized worldwide. In some states it is required material for high school students.

Glenville-Emmons guidance councilor Paul Moore said there has not been any other student at the high school to get a 36 on an ACT in the 15 years he has been at Glenville-Emmons.

Logan Hansen is excited that with this perfect ACT score he has a good chance of getting into the school of his dreams. Hansen is considering applying to the Minnesota, Iowa State, Wartburg, MIT, Notre Dame and Harvard. He said he would like to stay in Minnesota or Iowa so he is able to stay active in FFA. He is currently the president of the chapter at his school. Hansen said he plans to study civil or architectural engineering at whichever school he decides to attend.

Currently Hansen seems to be leaning toward Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, because he said he could wrestle or play football there &8212; the sports, along with baseball, he is active in at Glenville-Emmons. He is also president of the Glenville-Emmons High School Student Council, senior class treasurer, vice president of his 4-H Club, a member of the National Honor Society and a teacher at church on Sundays. And if that weren&8217;t enough, he is also a straight-A student, having a 4.0 grade point average.

Hansen might just see some more envelopes arriving unusually early, the ones with college acceptance letters in them.

Tips on taking the ACT from Logan &8220;Perfect 36&8221; Hansen:

– Wear comfortable clothes. Logan suggests sweatpants.

– Get plenty of sleep the night before.

– Eat breakfast the morning before the test and bring a snack to the exam for the break time.

Age: 18

Address: rural Glenville

Family: Parents Mike and Doreene, sister Heidi, 23, brother Alex, 20.

Livelihood: senior at Glenville-Emmons High School

Interesting fact: He is addicted to the Fox television show &8220;The O.C.&8221;