Central student garners 36 on ACT, among other accomplishments

Before he became a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist, Cape Girardeau Central High School senior Vikas Rudrappa was on successful math competition teams and was a winner as a junior high student in the Southeast Missouri Music Academy Young Composers Project.

During his school career, Rudrappa plays violin in the orchestra, plays piano, runs cross country and plays tennis, as well. One of his crowning achievements was scoring a 36 -- the top score possible -- on the ACT college entrance exam when he was a sophomore.

Now a senior, Rudrappa has not again had to take the college entrance exam, but helped others study for it -- some of whom are now in college. Students can take the exam any time during high school, or even earlier, he said.

"I studied quite a bit for it," Rudrappa said. "I had some study books, and then I got some help from my older brother."

He received some help from his older brother, Prithvi, now studying biochemistry at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, who had scored a 35 on the ACT.

"I was surprised," Rudrappa said. "I was just really amazed. I didn't think I was going to get a perfect score."

There are four sections to the ACT -- reading, English, math and science. Katie Wacker, a spokeswoman in the ACT public relations department in Iowa City, Iowa, said obtaining a perfect score is "quite an accomplishment and something we love to see happen."

"On average," Wacker said, "less than 1/10 of 1 percent of students who take the ACT are able to earn a composite 36. In real numbers of the ACT-tested graduating class of 2013, only 1,162 of 1.8 million students earned a 36.

"Scores are an average of all four subject-matter tests," Wacker said, adding it's possible a student could miss a question.

Rudrappa said he studied for about two weeks before he took the exam, for several hours a day. His parents, Suresh Rudrappa and Devika Nagaraj, encouraged him to study, and when Rudrappa requested books, his parents obtained them for him.

Because of his score, Rudrappa said he would be more likely to receive scholarships from universities, and he's also eligible for Missouri's Bright Flight Scholarship, which is based on ACT and SAT scores. Students who score in the top 3 percent receive $2,500 a year, which The Associated Press has reported is less than the $3,000 maximum. State law also allows students scoring in the top 4 percent to 5 percent to receive up to $1,000 when the top level is funded.

"That type of scholarship will help a lot," Rudrappa said. "And lots of colleges give extra scholarships for National Merit Scholars."

Rudrappa hasn't decided on a school yet, and is considering Vanderbilt, the University of Southern California and Washington University. He said he might major in biomedical engineering.

Rudrappa says he knows he wants to study medicine.

Mike Cowan, principal of Cape Girardeau Central High School, said, "Vikas is just a stellar young gentleman in every sense of the word. Obviously he is incredibly bright."

Born in Dublin, Ireland, Rudrappa's family moved to the United States when he was quite young and has lived in Cape Girardeau since he was 5. His favorite subject in school is environmental science -- a broad field that can apply to pollution control, rebuilding habitats and reducing factory and car emissions, among other things, he said.

"I like the teacher [Mark Hahn]. He's the cross country coach, too," Rudrappa said, adding that cross country is something that appeals to his math and science bent.

"It's always difficult, and it's consistent hard work, but it's always to a set goal. It's something where you can clearly measure how much you're getting better and you have clear objectives," he said.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

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