Congratulations to senior Sharon Huang who earned a perfect score on the college-level Advanced Placement® (AP) Research exam in spring 2021. Sharon not only received the top score of 5, but was also one of only 375 students in the world to earn every point possible on the AP Research exam, receiving the maximum score on each portion of the exam.

“Sharon’s accomplishment on the AP Research exam is nothing short of extraordinary,” High School Principal Ryan Aiello said. “It is made even more impressive considering she is a member of the first class of EC students to complete the AP Capstone program. The future is incredibly bright, both for Sharon and our AP Research students.”

AP Research allows students to deeply explore an academic topic, problem or issue of individual interest. Through this exploration, students design, plan and conduct a year-long research-based investigation to address a research question. The course culminates in an academic paper of 4,000-5,000 words and a presentation with an oral defense. Students must complete the year-long AP Seminar course before they can enroll in AP Research. AP Capstone encompasses AP Seminar and AP Research and was developed at the request of higher education professionals, who saw a need for a systematic way for high school students to begin mastering these skills before college. 

Sharon’s academic paper for AP Research was titled, “The Association Between Sports, Body Image, and Eating Disorders of Male Teens at Eastside Catholic,” and was accepted for publication in the Journal of Student Research.

When asked about her goals, Sharon said she would like to attend Rice University and study either public policy or political science. Sharon also offered advice to younger students: “Always plan ahead and start early on your academic agendas. It will make you more prepared under all circumstances.”

“AP courses and exams are college-level, requiring great focus and persistence among participating students,” said Trevor Packer, head of the Advanced Placement Program. “We applaud the educators who encourage students to challenge themselves, who motivate and encourage diverse students to achieve their academic potential.”