Three Juniors Receive Perfect SAT Section Scores

Mae Heitmann

Having received a perfect score on the math sections on both the SAT and ACT, junior Mae Heitmann has completed her testing for the college application process. Heitmann first took the tests in the fall without any preparation. After taking the tests for the first time, she was confident in her performance in the math section, but wanted to improve her scores in the other sections.

“For the math part for the SAT I feel like most of the questions can be solved really easily and with a really simple solution if you just see it the right way,” Heitmann said.

A few weeks before the tests in February and March, Heitmann studied from time to time, using practice tests from SAT and ACT prep books. Again she received perfect scores in the math sections and was able to raise her scores on the other sections.

Clara Ma

Junior Clara Ma received perfect scores on the writing section both times she took the SAT. To prepare for the tests, Ma read through the study guides in the College Board books, focusing only on the math section after the first test. Ma was very happy after learning she had received a perfect score but realized the importance of looking beyond her performance.

“At the end of the day, it’s probably not going to matter too much what you scored on one section of the SAT,” Ma said. “What’s really important is the kind of person you were and what you gave to your school and to your community.”

Ma is done testing, but still has to pick between her many interests in science and engineering, journalism, languages and politics to decide where to go to college.

Ali Dastjerdi

Walking out of the test in January, junior Ali Dastjerdi felt somewhat optimistic about his performance on the SAT. A few weeks after, Dastjerdi learned that he received a perfect score on the math section. In preparation for the test, Dastjerdi worked through the questions in an SAT prep book and is continuing to do so for the upcoming test in June. Going into the next test, Dastjerdi has a better understanding on what the test-givers are looking for and how to prepare.

“The SAT is seen as a kind of aptitude test that is supposed to test your overall learning, but that isn’t true,” Dastjerdi said. “The math and writing sections are very easy to do well on with sufficient prep, but on the other hand, the reading section is less formulaic and harder to study for.”