(Top left) Irene Zhang, (Bottom left) Miller Sisson, (Right) Sarah Grace Tucker. (Photos courtesy of Irene Zhang, Miller Sisson and Sarah Grace Tucker)
MOUNTAIN BROOK, Alabama -- Mountain Brook City Schools have a
reputation for repeatedly producing quality students. The latest testaments to that fact are three Mountain Brook High School seniors who went above and beyond on their college entrance exams receiving both perfect and near-perfect scores on both the SAT and the ACT.
Here's a bit more about each of them:
Miller SissonSisson, a 17-year-old senior, scored a perfect score of 36 on the ACT and a near-perfect score of 2370 on the SAT, the highest being a 2400. According to the official ACT website, typically, only one percent of high school students across the country earn a perfect score on the test.
Sisson said he really didn't prepare much for the SAT, but did enroll in an ACT class before taking the test. He attributes most of his success, however, to the education he received at Mountain Brook High.
"I felt really prepared," said Sisson. "Our teachers and administrators prepare us so well for tests but also, for life in general ."
Of course, Sisson does recognize his own inherent talents.
"I feel really blessed to have been given the mind I have," he said.
Still, he understands that without the support he received from school and his parents, his mind wouldn't have gotten very far.
"My school work has always been a priority," he said. "It's just the way I was raised: take care of school first and let the fun come after that. My parents always preached working hard and doing the best you can no matter what."
As his senior year comes to a close, Sisson said he enjoyed his final season on the football team and looks forward to baseball season. In the fall, he hopes to enroll at an engineering program at one of his top three schools: Virginia, Vanderbilt or Auburn.
Sarah Grace TuckerTucker, also a 17-year-old senior at Mountain Brook High, earned a perfect score on both the SAT and the ACT.
Her practice time in preparation for the tests, however, was more of a refresher course she said. Tucker attributes her success on the tests to the preparation she said she received at school.
"I think the quality of our classes is what helped," said Tucker.
She prepared for each of the tests by using a practice book she borrowed from friends--the weekend before each test.
"I'm really glad that I did so well on the tests," said Tucker. "I'm glad that I had such great teachers to prepare me and I'm also grateful that my parents continued to encourage me to do my best in school and in everything else that I do. "
Along with her academic successes, Tucker is also highly involved with the Relay for Life program at school where she serves as the publicity chair.
As her senior year wraps up, Tucker said she looks forward to enjoying these last few months with all of her friends and eventually walking across the stage with them at graduation.
In the fall, she hopes to enroll at an engineering school at Princeton, Georgia Tech, Duke, Vanderbilt or Alabama.
Irene Zhang17-year-old Zhang scored a perfect score on the ACT.
"Of course, I'm very happy with my score," she said.
In preparation for the test, Zhang said she took a few practice tests, where she learned what questions to expect and how to properly time herself. Reading, however, is what she believes helped her the most.
"I'm an avid reader and I feel like the books and magazines I've read over the years really helped with reading comprehension."
Reading comprehension is a large portion of the test, as students are asked to reach passages, interpret their meaning and answer questions based on what they read.
In the fall, Zhang said she plans to major in physics in college. Eventually, she said, she might consider continuing her education to receive a PhD.
Donald Clayton will now serve as principal of Mountain Brook Junior High School. (Mountain Brook Schools) 
