Jacob Schrimpf Scores Perfect 36 on ACT

"I was too nervous to look at my ACT score when it was mailed to the house and I asked my mom to look for me," said Jacob Schrimpf of Grayslake.

He had no need to be nervous. The Grayslake Central High School student scored a perfect 36.

"I did tons of practice on sections that would be covered in the ACT in my classes, especially in English with the reading parts," said Schrimpf. "The practice exams definitely helped. The pacing with the ACT is very difficult to master. The reading section is notorious for that. My AP (advanced placement) English teacher, Mrs. Kristen Carlson, was phenomenal. She’s the department head and she was great in her preparation of the students for the test."

Though reading and science were two sections that most challenged him, Schrimpf actually scored his best on those two parts of the actual exam. As a junior, he took advanced placement physics B, advanced placement U.S. history, advanced placement language and composition, Spanish IV honors, advanced placement calculus A/B, honors band and physical education.

This year as a senior, Schrimpf is taking advanced placement biology, advanced placement literature and composition, advanced placement statistics, advanced placement government, advanced placement Spanish and honors band — quite a heavy load for any student.

"One thing I have worked on is my time management," Schrimpf said. "I’m usually involved in a lot of extracurricular activities, so when I have time to study, I really buckle down. After school, I go to my clubs and rehearsals, then I come home do my homework and go to bed. I don’t have a lot of time during the week to do much else besides school stuff and homework."

He is also very involved with the school band, the marching band and the jazz band. He plays clarinet in the school band and saxophone in the jazz band. He was a member of the jazz choir this year and participates heavily in theater at the school.

His freshman and sophomore years, Schrimpf was selected by the Illinois Music Educators Association to the Regional Band. As a junior he made All-State in band and All-State in theater — one of only 18 students in the state to achieve the latter distinction.

He also is an active member of the Link Crew. That is a high school transition program that helps freshmen feel comfortable throughout their first year of high school, according to District 127.

Based on the belief that students can help other students succeed, Link Crew trains its members to be Link Leaders. As positive role models, Link Leaders are motivators, leaders and teachers who guide the freshmen to discover what it takes to be successful during the transition to high school.

As if all of this is not enough to fill up a young man’s days and nights, Schrimpf also participates in his church choir and gives private piano and clarinet lessons to younger students.

When asked to what they attribute their son’s success to, Jacob’s dad Michael said, "I think he’s very hardworking. He’s very passionate when he does something and commits to it fully."

"He’s very disciplined and spends the time he needs to practicing or studying and keeps a lot of balls in the air," said his mom, Margaret. "He’s really very self-motivated."

The Schrimpf’s also have a son Benjamin who is in eighth grade and a daughter, Megan, in third grade. "Education is paramount in our family and something that we emphasize with all of our children. We recognize their different strengths and accomplishments, but parental involvement is a key element."

"We feel very strongly about active involvement in our children’s lives. We’ve always been involved with their schools and extracurriculars. I’ve coached in GYBA (Grayslake Youth Baseball Association), judged science fairs at the schools, Margaret has served as a class mom," said Michael Schrimpf.

"We’ve been involved with the music and theater boosters. We want our kids to know that what’s important to them is important to us, as well," said Margaret Schrimpf. "My younger son is really into Colts football and we’ve participated as team coordinator."

Jacob Schrimpf has gone on college visits to Northwestern, the University of Wisconsin at Madison and Notre Dame. He plans to double major in music and science.

Notre Dame may have the inside track, however, since both of his parents graduated from there.

"We’d be thrilled if he went to school there," said his mom.