International student at Wisconsin Lutheran High School earns perfect score on ACT

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- An international student earned a perfect score on the ACT.

Meet Quan Pham Gia An, better known as "Frank" to his American classmates at Wisconsin Lutheran High School in Milwaukee.

Quan Pham arrived in the United States almost two years ago as an international student from Vietnam.

"It has been quite a journey for me as well from then to here," Quan Pham said.

CBS 58 caught a glimpse of Quan Pham during choir practice Monday afternoon, but as his teachers said, he's constantly running from extracurricular activities to sporting events, and still has time for his homework.

"I've never had a student quite like Frank in terms of you see every event and suddenly, where's Frank? Oh, there he is," Wisconsin Lutheran High School President Pastor Kenneth Fisher said.

Most recently, as a junior, Quan Pham achieved what most students never do -- getting a perfect score on the ACT.

"That was really surprising," Quan Pham said.

The ACT is a curriculum-based test scored on a scale of one to 36.

The highest score, a 36, usually means the student is more than prepared for a four-year college.

"That's a pretty big accomplishment for an international student," Wisconsin Lutheran High School International Admissions Director Tamara Leyrer said. 

Quan Pham is the sixth student in six years at Wisconsin Lutheran High School to achieve a perfect score.

"I'm so proud of what Frank was able to do on this test," Fisher said.

Quan Pham told CBS 58 he didn't have to study for the exam because his schoolwork taught him everything he needed to know.

Although, he was faced with one challenge on the day of the test. 

"Well, I did wake up like 10 minutes before the test began," Quan Pham said.

Quan Pham is expected to graduate from high school. He's still deciding where to go for college.

"Right now, I have my eye set on data science and mechanical engineering," Quan Pham said.

Whether he continues his education in the states or somewhere else, Quan Pham said he's most looking forward to bringing what he's learned back home to Vietnam.

"I'm just waiting to see where my journey will take me," Quan Pham said.