Mayfield Student Earns Perfect ACT Score

Tom Milyo makes no big deal of his stress-free approach to standardized testing.

It's an easygoing mentality he has always possessed, and it has worked wonders for the Mayfield High School junior. The school district recently announced that Tom achieved a perfect score on his ACT test.

According to the district, he is just the fifth Mayfield student to earn a perfect 36 in the last six years. Of the 1.66 million students who took the ACT in 2012, only Tom and 780 others earned a perfect composite score.

"I try to relax the night before — I'm not going to learn anything I haven't learned the night before," he said. "I figure one night's not going to make the difference, so I go to bed early."

Tom, who also runs track and cross country for Mayfield, also credits his quick reading ability for his score.

"I read a lot of older books when I was younger and that helps with some of the reading section and that writing style," he said. "I used to read Sherlock Holmes, and that definitely teaches you to learn a big vocabulary. That kind of older text was big factor."

Tom said reading was the only section that was remotely difficult for him, but only because it is open to different interpretations, unlike math problems.

The score will obviously help Tom get into the college of his choice, but he isn't sure where he will head just yet. He gives thanks to his parents and teachers like Terry Lardell, who he said taught him advanced placement spanish along with a slew of life lessons.

Tom hasn't been overwhelmed with requests for advice from classmates, but he has a few words for those who do ask him for help.

"Some of them are like, 'How do you do it?' I just tell them not to stress because you probably know this stuff," he said. "They come to me, but I almost go to them more often. We try to work together.

"That's one of the most important things because it's one thing to go home and read about it, but it's better being able to talk to someone. Be able to a do a problem with someone, that's definitely a big influence. We can all help each other."