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- The SAT Jedi Knight: How Ishaan Shah, a 12th grader from Mumbai, Scored a Perfect 1600 on the SAT!
The SAT Jedi Knight: How Ishaan Shah, a 12th grader from Mumbai, Scored a Perfect 1600 on the SAT!
Vol. 1, No. 7
Ranjit Rauniyar
October 18, 2024
Table of Contents
Welcome to The Thirsty Scholar newsletter—if you’re an international high school student looking to study at a top college in the US, UK, and beyond, this is exactly where you need to be!
IN THIS ISSUE
What do Ishaan Shah (a 12th grader from Jai Hind College, Mumbai) Mark Zuckerberg, Will Smith and Paul Allen (Microsoft co-founder) have in common? Each has achieved the rare feat of scoring a perfect 1600 on the SAT (at 1590, Bill Gates just about missed the mark- Poor Mr. Gates!)
Just to be sure, achieving a high score on the SAT isn’t quite a passport to life and career success. President Bill Clinton (1030), President George Bush (1206), Vice President Gore (1355), famous authors Amy Tan (1100s), and Stephen King (1300s) are cases in point. (While Steve Jobs and President Obama took the ACTs instead, their equivalent scores were 1420 and 1340, respectively - which again proves the point)
Yet, make no mistake that for getting into U.S. colleges, a high SAT score can really make a critical difference, particularly for international students trying to break into the top colleges and vie for scholarships. Indeed, the SAT serves as the sole standardized data point by which admissions officers can equitably assess candidates from diverse educational and socio-economic backgrounds from around the world. world. This utility explains why numerous leading universities, including Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Brown, Caltech, Stanford, Vanderbilt, and the University of Texas at Austin, have reinstated the SAT for the incoming class starting in 2025 after a period of test-optional policies.
In this interview with "The Thirsty Scholar," Ishaan graciously shares his secrets and winning strategies, study tips, productivity hacks, must-have resources, and precious insights to empower all future test-takers achieve their dream scores.
On behalf of all students and families everywhere, please join me in congratulating Ishaan and his family, and extending a BIG Thank you for his time and generosity.
And now for the full interview…
1. Congratulations, 1600/1600 on the SAT – you’re part of a truly gilded lot.
Thank you so much!
2. How did you celebrate the 1600?
I went out for dinner with my family to my favorite Chinese restaurant, Royal China (in Mumbai).
3. Does the College Board give you some sort of an award – like a golden tablet or sword or lightsaber or something?
Unfortunately, I didn’t receive anything.
4. Which school do you go to?
Jai Hind College, Mumbai
5. Which subjects are you studying?
I’m studying HSC – English, Physics, Chemistry, Math, Computer Science, Environmental education. I have also taken AP subjects in Calculus BC, Physics Mechanics, Statistics and Microeconomics.
6. Can you share a bit about your background—where you're from, what got you interested in studying in the US?
I was born and brought up in Mumbai. Growing up, I’ve read a lot about US entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg. I want to follow in their footsteps and build a creative mindset by studying in the US.
7. Can you walk us through your study schedule leading up to the SAT? How many months/years in advance did you start preparing?
I started preparing 4 months before my first SAT attempt (in March 2024). In the last month before the test, I took 2 practice tests every week and thoroughly diagnosed each mistake. After each attempt, I reviewed the questions I got wrong or felt unsure about, doing error analysis (figuring out the reason I got the question wrong; for example, carelessness or conceptual? if conceptual, then which particular concept?)
8. Was this the first time you took the test?
No, I first took the test in March 2024, where I scored 1550. I then scored 1600 in August 2024.
9. Since 1550 is already an excellent score, what made you want to take it again?
I know a handful of my friends who had scored around 1550, but I don’t know anyone who scored 1600. Since I already had a good score, I had nothing to lose - so I gave it a shot. Most people I know have taken the SAT twice anyways, so I wanted to give it one more try.
10. What resources did you find most useful during your preparation? Were there any books, websites, or courses you'd recommend?
I took tutoring from AP Guru which is a top Mumbai based test prep tutoring company led by Sneha and Chirag Arya. My teachers were incredibly helpful in explaining each concept to me and making sure I have a laser focus on each mistake. The past tests I took were particularly helpful in understanding the psyche of the test maker. The strategy guides helped me fine-tune my approach to each question type. The flashcards on the website helped me with my weakest area, vocabulary.
Additionally, I used Khan Academy to practice vocabulary questions since I found that especially challenging. Erica Meltzer’s books were useful for more english practice. I also used College Panda’s SAT Math book to practice a few tricky math concepts. I took a test each on TestInnovators and The Princeton Review so I can get used to questions from different sources too.
11. Let’s be more specific. Which are the top must refer to resources according to you for SAT Verbal?
1. AP Guru strategy guides
2. Vocabulary flashcards (I used the ones on AP Guru website
3. Khan Academy
4. Erica Meltzer books
12. How about SAT Math?
I found SAT math pretty easy as I’m from a STEM background. My AP Guru teachers would discuss hard math worksheets with me, and that was sufficient for me. I already knew most of the topics. I also used to practice a few tricky math concepts.
13. Did you find any YouTube channels helpful in preparing for the SAT?
I saw videos of other students who scored 1600 to learn from their study patterns. TutorIlini has a helpful DESMOS YouTube playlist that I used to learn how to apply DESMOS to different question types.
14. Websites/Blogs?
https://1600.io was helpful in breaking down the bluebook test questions. I like the SAT subreddit – it was cool to connect with other students around the world going through the same frustrations as me when it came to attacking a SAT problem.
15. What did a typical day of studying look like for you? How did you balance SAT prep with your regular schoolwork and extracurriculars?
On a regular weekday, I go to college till 3 pm. I come home, relax for some time and then start studying. Usually, from 4 to 6, I catch up on college work and assessments. I go to the gym and take a break for dinner. At night, I hit the books again – SAT prep 9 to 11pm!
16. What were the toughest challenges you faced while preparing for the SAT, and how did you overcome them?
Vocabulary was the hardest bit for me. I’m not naturally a reader and the context was sometimes hard to gauge. AP Guru’s WhatsApp channel was helpful because they’d send me 1 article a day to read – it was based on current affairs, so it was mostly interesting to read. I also used their flashcards extensively to practice learning new words. In addition to this, I started listening to podcasts from The New York Times, Economist, and The Guardian as it was an easy way to learn new word meanings.
17. They say getting up to 1500 is still ok. It gets progressively more difficult from then on out? Any advice to students on getting past the 1500?
Really laser down on your mistakes. Don’t just categorize it as a silly mistake and move on. Identify the topic, the concept and write down exactly what you have to do to avoid the mistake in the future.
18. Then the home stretch on the last 50 points? This has to be the most difficult. Any particular strategies in terms of preparation?
I would keep re-solving questions that I got wrong in the past. I have a folder full of screenshots of my mistakes from any test and quiz I’ve taken. Every week, I solved all of them.
19. The Verbal section seems to give more students grief. Any specific strategies on how to prepare for this particular section?
Ultimately, your performance in English depends the most on your familiarity with the English language. Firstly, make sure you understand all the grammar rules conceptually first, then go into grinding practice questions. But when it comes to reading questions, there are no rules to guide you. I cannot stress enough how much it helps to just surround yourself with literature. I personally stay up-to-date with current events by reading news articles in The Guardian, The New York Times, etc. Especially for module two vocab questions, simply being well-read has done wonders in ensuring that I don’t feel particularly anxious when facing a question. For example, even if I don't know what the correct term means, I’ll have a decent enough grasp of what all the other options mean to deduce the best possible choice.
20. How did you manage your time across the different sections during the exam? Do you have any tips for pacing?
I always gave myself 2 minutes per question. If I exceeded that, I marked my best guess, flagged it for review and moved on. I usually got time to revisit the question where I could approach it again with a fresh mindset. This also ensured that I wasn’t crunched for time on the later questions.
21. Did you have a specific strategy for answering questions, such as skipping the hard ones and returning to them later? Anything else?
1. Understand the main idea and the idea of each sentence. Often, the main idea is stated in the first or last sentence, and to make the text more understandable to me, I used the annotation function to paraphrase each sentence. Once I analyzed the meaning of each individual sentence, I was able to understand the text better, and I was able to understand the function of each sentence in relation to the others
2. Reading and Writing are, as they say, EVIDENCE-BASED. This means that the correct answer will always be supported directly by the text - if an answer is correct, you will be able to highlight a sentence or phrase that basically explicitly says the same thing as the answer key. Don't make inferences or make jumps in logic!
3. PROCESS OF ELIMINATION! The strikethrough tool is a godsend on the SAT, so make sure you know how to use it. There are sometimes answer choices that are partially true and partially incorrect - if an answer choice has even a single assertion that is not directly supported by the text, cross it out. This way you sometimes don't even have to find the right answer, you just have to know the others are wrong. And if you guess, you have a greater than 25% chance of getting it right
4. Read the question before the text so you know what to look for. Pretty self-explanatory.
5. For the last 3 or 4 questions where you have to use bullet points to support a claim, you don't need to actually read the bullet points - the correct answer will be obvious from looking at the answer choices. By not reading the bullet points, I basically halved the time I was spending on these questions, allowing me to focus on the trickier questions more.
6. Speaking of timing, do NOT rush. This is what was my downfall in my first attempt. You don't need to go through every question twice; just spend some extra time the first time and review the ones you flagged.
7. The answer to "main idea" questions will never be in a specific example from the text. I don't really know how to explain this, except that examples will usually support the main idea rather than expressing it.
8. Transition word questions are easy - they are asking, "How does the function of this sentence relate to the prior/following sentence?" If you do the annotation and summarize function that I do, it's a walk in the park.
22. Did you do self-study or did you also get the help of a coach specialist tutor?
I took tutoring from AP Guru
23. How did you come to choose the coaching company you worked with for your SAT preparation? What stood out about their approach?
My friend went to AP Guru for SAT prep and had a good experience. She suggested I go to them too.
24. Can you share some specific ways in which the coaching helped you achieve a perfect score? Were there unique strategies or resources they provided that you found particularly useful?
My teachers discussed each of my test mistakes with me. For every question we got wrong, we cemented a strategy to follow so I avoid making a similar mistake in the future. Most of the strategies I mentioned in #21 are from my AP Guru tutors.
25. What kind of personalized support did you receive from your coaching team? How did they tailor their help to fit your individual needs?
I had two teachers – one for English and Math each. First, they went through every concept tested with me thoroughly. Then, later when I started taking tests, they went through each mistake with me. Additionally, they created a roadmap for me and told me what exactly to do each day in the weeks leading up to the SAT – this was very helpful in prioritizing my tasks.
26. Could you talk about your progression with the help of the coaching? What were some milestones or breakthroughs in your preparation journey?
First, they went through every concept tested with me thoroughly. Then, later when I started taking tests, they went through each mistake with me.
I was stuck in the high 1400s for a while. Crossing 1500 the first time was special!
27. Was there a community aspect to the coaching, like group sessions or peer discussions? How did that impact your learning process?
All my sessions were one on one. I used the SAT subreddit to get that community feel – I also enjoyed the memes about our collective struggle.
28. Looking back, how significant do you think the coaching was in your overall preparation and success?
It definitely helped me streamline my approach towards the SAT. My teachers’ advice was invaluable in my not repeating any mistakes. I knew exactly what to focus on and they gave me that clarity. There’s no way I would’ve achieved this score without my teachers’ help.
29. What are some tips for the day of the exams?
Get into the habit of taking a mock test every Saturday at 8 am. On the days leading up to the SAT, go to bed early so you’re able to wake up fresh on the SAT test day. Also, don’t take any tests in the last 2-3 days before the SAT. It’s better to revise concepts rather than panic at some concept you don’t know about.
30. Were you expecting a perfect score after the exams?
I knew I would cross 1550, but I never thought I would score 800 in English!
31. This seems like a silly question to ask but looking back, is there anything you would have done differently in your preparation?
On some days, I took 2 tests a day. This was counterproductive as I was tired and would score low. Then I’d get demotivated. I wish I hadn’t taken 2 tests a day.
32. What are the 3 most common mistakes students can make while preparing for the SAT?
1.Solving tests without analyzing your mistakes
2.Not practising niche hard math questions
3. Not taking enough adaptive digital tests
33. The mobile phone can be a huge distraction when preparing for the SAT or even just generally? How did you manage the use of the mobile phone to reduce/eliminate this distraction?
To minimize distractions, I deleted Snapchat and Instagram from my phone one month before the test. I have done this now as well, as I’m applying to colleges. The only remaining app I used substantially was Reddit, but that also helped me let out steam with my fellow SAT peers.
34. What’s the most important piece of advice you would give to someone aiming for a high score on the SAT?
Every mistake is an exercise in learning! Scrutinize every little mistake, but don’t beat yourself over them.
35. What are your dream colleges?
Stanford, MIT, UC Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley, is one of Ishaan’s dream colleges.
36. Do you think scoring a perfect 1600 might bring disproportionate focus on other parts of the application?
I don’t think so. Ideally, this should indicate that when I really want to apply myself to a task, I’m capable of excellence.
37. Apart from academics, what are your interests and hobbies?
I enjoy playing video games with my friends and trash-talking them on Discord. I also enjoy cycling and swimming.
38. What are your future academic and career goals?
I hope to study Math / Physics at a US university. When I’m at university, I also want to study for a semester in Europe so I can understand different teaching methods.
39. How has scoring a perfect SAT score changed your outlook or plans for the future?
I now have the confidence that if I can give my maximum effort to a task, I’m capable of an amazing outcome.
40. How do you hope your education in the US will help you achieve these goals?
I’m sure I will interact with many brilliant peers, but I will be confident enough to know that I’m just as good as them.
41. From your own experiences, what advice would you give to other international students who are preparing to apply to US colleges?
Start early! This especially helps with AP and AMC exams because those can take a long while to prepare for. Also, talk to current students at different universities. This can really help you get a flavor for each university.
42. Thank you, Ishaan, for sharing your time with us. This has been so incredibly valuable. Every reader of The Thirsty Scholar wishes you the very best in getting to your dream college. May this be the start of a beautiful educational journey for you.
You are most welcome. I am glad I could be of some help. Thank you all for your kind words and good wishes!
Ishaan’s favorite place in Mumbai - The Cricket Club of India
BEFORE YOU GO… Ishaan’s Recommendation Corner
5 Books you would recommend every high schooler read
Harry Potter, Eragon, Percy Jackson, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Witchlings
Favorite YouTube channel(s)
Favorite Sources of News
The New York Times, The Economist, The Guardian
Favorite insta page
Favorite restaurant
Royal China, Mumbai
Which artists are you listening to now?
The Weeknd, Billie Elish, Kendrick Lamar
What’s a recent movie or show that you’d recommend?
House of the Dragon
That one favorite podcast
What are you reading now?
Nothing currently :/ no time!
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