MONROE, La. — Darius Washington, 16, said he didn’t think he’d one that well the last time he took the ACT, but he was in for a shock.

When he checked his results around midnight Monday, the Neville High School student learned that he earned 36 on the ACT, which is a rare perfect score.

He said his parents, Marish and Sonica Washington, are very proud. His mom and aunt shared the news online.

Washington said his classmates are excited that he got the perfect score.

“We are not surprised, but we are very proud,” Neville Assistant Principal Whitney Martin.

Washington said he had taken the test a few times before and had an idea of what to expect. He advises other students not to stress too much over the exam because that will burn them out before they take the test.

“Manage your time wisely because if you run out of time that directly affects your score. If you don’t get to questions, then you can’t answer them,” he said.

Washington plans to attend the University of Louisiana at Monroe and major in computer science. The only child said he hopes to stay near home and work with CenturyLink or IBM, or he might move to Dallas because it’s the nearest large city.

Washington is graduating early and  he’s a National Merit Scholar semifinalist. He attends honors classes and is a member of the National Honor Society and the quiz bowl team, which recently earned a spot in nationals in Chicago.

When he’s not studying, Washington said he’s relaxing and watching a lot of Netflix.