Edmond Memorial student gets perfect score on ACT

Karena Zhao has not taken the ACT as a senior. That’s because she aced it as a junior and became one of a small percentage of students to record a perfect score of 36.

That happened on her first attempt.

Zhao also is a National Merit Finalist and a U.S. Presidential Scholar candidate. The daughter of Lichao Zhao and Xiang Li, she will be Edmond Memorial High School’s valedictorian in May.

“Not too many students make a perfect score on the ACT College Entrance Exam the first time they take it, but Karena did just that,” said Carol Doherty, academic counselor at Memorial.

“Her exceptional leadership qualities are exuded in her academic record, extracurricular activities, personal goals, aspirations and relationships.”

Zhao, 18, also has excelled in advanced placement classes and testing. In fact if she went to the University of Oklahoma, she’d be starting out as a junior in the fall.

But she hopes to attend Yale, where she’s been admitted, and specialize in science or cellular biology. Although she’s nearly 100 percent sure she’ll go to Yale, Vanderbilt is another option.

“I’ve always wanted the pre-med track,” she said. “Ever since I was very young, I’ve wanted that.”

She credits her perfect ACT score to test preparation offered last year at Memorial. Her overall good grades are due to her study habits, she said. “A lot of that is good time management.”

The teen scholar is grateful to the teachers and programs at Memorial for allowing her to go as far as she wants on the prep level.

“The teachers here have been amazing,” she said.

“Karena is a shining star here at Edmond Memorial. We are so proud of all of her accomplishments,” Memorial Principal Anthony Rose said.

“Karena is also known to be a good and kind person among the faculty and students at EMHS. We look forward to all of the exciting things in store for her in the future.”

Her soaring marks haven’t kept her buried in a book during her four years at Memorial. She’s been on the school’s academic team and has served as president of the National Honor Society.

“I’ve had a great time at Memorial and made many friends,” she said.

For others interested in academic success, she has simple advice.

“Set a goal and work hard to reach it,” she said.