Over the past decade I’ve spent tutoring, I have had the pleasure of working with some truly impressive students. As students start to score in the range of the 99th percentile, they will sometimes ask “How did you get a perfect score?” I have always started by answering that I was only half-perfect (perfect on the math but just missed on the verbal), but over time I have noticed some important traits that my students who have scored perfectly on the SAT or ACT seem to share. This advice is centered around the question of how to achieve the perfect score, but I think it is actually useful for anyone studying for these tests.
Students who score perfectly tend to take pride in their work without being stubborn or overconfident.
When studying and taking practice tests, these students are honest with themselves when they do not fully understand a question or concept, and they take the time to review this concept after in order to learn it. This determined curiosity is central to driving improvement. However, these students are flexible enough within the test to avoid letting one question sabotage their score. For all students, avoiding frustration and other negative emotions during the test is key.
Students who score perfectly channel their stress and anxiety into intense focus.
Everyone who takes the SAT or ACT (or any other standardized test that has real-life consequences) will feel a certain level of anxiety or stress around that test. Though everyone experiences stress and anxiety differently and on varying levels, these emotions are universal. However, the students who achieve perfection on these tests are able to turn this nervous energy into additional focus and drive on test day.
Students who score perfectly maintain a narrow focus throughout the test.
Because of the implications for college applications, many students who take the SAT or ACT are thinking about what certain outcomes could mean for their futures. Students who score perfectly are able to block out these distractions while taking the test in order to focus simply on the question they are currently working on. Maintaining intense focus solely on the question you are currently working on is key to achieving a perfect score, as any silly mistakes could sabotage your quest.
While these are great tips to keep in mind, it is also important to remember that chasing perfection is not realistic. Do you work and study, but also focus on becoming the best version of yourself — something a score cannot define!