You’d think that earning a perfect score on a college-entrance exam would cause a 17 year old to jump for sheer joy and throw a massive party to celebrate with friends and family. Think again. 

Hillcrest student Dale Schlachter says he’s “not a big fan of celebrating things” – even an ACT score of 36, the highest that can be achieved on the exam.  The soon-to-be-senior’s score continues an 11-year Hillcrest tradition of at least one student per year earning such exemplary marks on the most popular college admissions test. 

“I didn’t give a cheer or anything when I saw the score,” Schlachter said. “I kind of went, like, ‘Wow. Hey, that’s pretty cool.’  Then, I thought, ‘I’m not going to have to worry about taking that test again.'” 

He was at home when he received an e-mail confirmation that his score was available for viewing.  “I wasn’t sure what I was going to get,” he said, adding that his previous attempt earned a 34, an enviable score by any measure. “I felt confident that my score was going to go up, but I thought, ‘OK, don’t get cocky. It might be lower, so just be prepared for anything.'”

Schlachter said he gave the good news to his parents and brother when they arrived home. They offered congratulations – then resumed cooking dinner.  Afterward, they attended to their nightly routines.  For Schlachter, that means going back downstairs to do homework.  “It was a pretty regular night,” he said. “But I didn’t have to do the dishes.”

Schlachter, Draper, who is a member of the school’s robotics team, has his sights set on earning his International Baccalaureate diploma from Hillcrest, then likely attending either Brigham Young University or the University of Utah.

So far, he’s taken 11 Advanced Placement tests  – seven of those this year. How did he fit all those classes into his schedule? He didn’t. He says he “self-studied” for the statistics, computer science, psychology and physics tests. Schlachter’s school year has already ended – he left last week for a trip to Beijing to visit family.