Nationwide — Sahli Negassi, a 17-year-old African American pupil from West Orange, New Jersey, has earned an ideal 1600 on the SAT. This uncommon achievement locations him amongst lower than 1% of test-takers nationwide.
Born in Manhattan, New York, and raised in West Orange, Sahli’s tutorial journey began at Mount Nice and St. Cloud elementary colleges. He by no means attended preschool however credit his older siblings’ textbooks for constructing his early data.
Seeing his excellent rating was a surreal second for him. “I walked out of [my] first interval [class] and instantly known as my mother,” he informed WOBOE. “I confirmed it to a classmate, however then I bought nervous and joked that it was Photoshopped. Even now, it nonetheless doesn’t really feel actual. However greater than something, I used to be relieved — I had lastly confirmed to myself that it was potential.”
Sahli says that he ready for the SAT totally on his personal, utilizing free sources like Khan Academy and YouTube. His rigorous AP coursework, significantly in Language, U.S. Historical past, and Calculus, additionally performed a key function. Balancing SAT prep with AP exams and observe competitions was robust, however he made time each time he might.
“Actually, the toughest a part of finding out was discovering time. I needed to make it each time I might — at meals, throughout sluggish class intervals, on bus rides. Taking it one query at a time was ok,” he stated.
Exterior of teachers, Sahli is an lively member of the cross-country and observe groups. He additionally leads a number of organizations, serving as president of the mathematics group and the college’s Nationwide Honor Society chapter. Moreover, he’s a varsity chess group member and performs within the Royal Strings ensemble.
West Orange Excessive Faculty Principal Oscar Guerrero praised Sahli for his tutorial and extracurricular success, saying, “Sahli represents the very best of West Orange Excessive Faculty. His achievement on the SAT is unimaginable, however what’s simply as spectacular is how he manages to excel throughout so many various actions.”
Trying forward, Sahli hopes to attend Harvard and pursue a profession in regulation. He stated, “Give me 10 years and I’ll be out on this planet doing one thing extra vital than a standardized check.”
His recommendation to different college students is straightforward: “Be intentional. Know what you need for your self, and throw your complete physique at it.”
