Golden Apple: Bemidji High School Junior Gets a Perfect SAT Score

Bemidji High School junior Kenneth Anttila spent his last two months at a desk in his basement with a lamp, timer and paper. The purpose? A perfect SAT score.

“I started studying for the SAT in about August, and before that I had taken the ACT and I got a 35 on the ACT, so I kind of prepared, but I decided to co-study for the SAT and the PSAT, so I studied for both of those at the same time, and what I would do was go on the internet and basically get get any practice test I could find and I would just drill it,” said Anttila, who also attends classes at Bemidji State University.

Anttila studied for about thirty minutes to an hour every day to prepare for the test. He also watched videos online on strategies for test taking and says the key point is to make sure you go back and check your work.

“I think a big thing that helped me, is like you’re obviously going to be anxious you’re obviously going to have adrenaline flowing. So like, I meditated the morning before and I was meditating right before the test and I think that really helped calm me and like, set me in my zone where I was really able to focus on the test, I got a 1600,” added Anttila.

During his study, Anttila has found a new love for reading and has read over 250 books. In the future, Anttila wants to become a professor and plans to make his mark in the world someday.

“My goal is a full-ride scholarship. That’s why I wanted this high SAT score because I’m going to be applying kind of higher end private colleges and my goal is to basically get a full-ride to pay for my undergraduate education,” said Anttila.

One piece of advice Anttila wants future test takers to know is that it takes practice and consistency.

“Get the practice test online, just search “SAT practice test,” there’s 10 of them on the College Board’s website, print them off and just run through them. Set a timer right next to you, time yourself, so it’s like the real test and when you put yourself in that situation when you practice, when you come to that situation in real life, it’ll feel like the same thing and then hopefully you’ll succeed,” said Anttila.

Testing a perfect SAT score puts you at the top of high school academic achievements and can be a big boost to your college applications. Now, all Anttila has to do is wait till next fall to start his official college process and plans to take nothing less than a full-ride scholarship.

Out of the 1.7 million students who take the SAT test every year, only about 300 students receive a perfect score.