This academic year, at least three Vietnamese students achieved a perfect SAT score of 1,600, placing them among a rare group globally. These high-achieving students have shared their study techniques and exam strategies, offering insight into what it takes to succeed at the highest level.

Reaching a perfect SAT score demands excellence in reading comprehension, logical reasoning, and analytical thinking. More importantly, it requires an effective study plan and test-taking strategy.

Pham Do Thai An, a 12th-grade student at the High School for Gifted Students under Hanoi National University of Education, revealed that during three months of SAT preparation, she studied at a center while also searching for practice materials online.

An found the Math section relatively manageable. “Although the test includes a range of problems involving equations, lines, trigonometry, etc., these are familiar to Vietnamese students and not too difficult,” she said.

However, she cautioned that some Math questions are deliberately tricky. For example, a problem may ask for 3x or 4x instead of x. “If you don’t read the question carefully, it’s easy to make a mistake,” she noted.

For An, the challenge was not Math but the Reading and Writing section. She often struggled with "Words in Context" questions. To improve, she compiled all her errors each week and reviewed them carefully.

One key tip she shared was to avoid translating every sentence, which can be time-consuming. Instead, she looked for keywords and grasped the main idea to increase reading speed and comprehension. “Some students memorize repeated question types, but test makers can retain the same passage while changing the question. Relying on memory without reading carefully can easily lead to mistakes. Effective learning means training your thinking, not memorizing,” An advised.

Nguyen Thi Dieu Anh, a 12th-grade student in English Class 1 at Ha Tinh High School for the Gifted, emphasized mastering the basics before progressing to more advanced exercises. She always focused during class to finish schoolwork early, freeing up time at home to explore new or supplementary material.

She practiced speaking English in daily situations rather than forcing herself into strict listening or speaking quotas. “I study naturally, without pressuring myself to complete a certain number of hours each day,” she shared.

Before each test, Dieu Anh practiced with as many sample questions as possible. “I keep a notebook of my errors. When I get something wrong, I focus on improving that specific area,” she said.

She also stressed the importance of perseverance. After scoring just 1,390 on her first attempt, which fell short of her expectations, she reflected and recognized her lack of proper preparation. “That score reflected the effort I had put in. I told myself to work harder, and eventually, my efforts paid off,” she said.

Nguyen Hoang Minh, a 12th-grade student in the Informatics Class at the High School for Gifted Students under Vietnam National University, Hanoi, noted that SAT success depends not only on English proficiency but also on critical thinking. “The Reading section doesn’t just test language but also your reasoning,” he explained.

Minh emphasized the importance of having a solid test strategy. He spent considerable time solving past papers and analyzing mistakes to understand his strengths and weaknesses. He also engaged with teachers for additional help.

“I collected old SAT exams shared online. Whenever I got a question wrong, I wrote it down and studied similar ones to improve,” Minh said.

He pointed out the tight timing of the SAT, especially the Reading section with 27 questions in 32 minutes - just over a minute per question. “Each passage can be long and distracting, so it’s crucial to focus on core information and improve reading speed,” Minh added.

To train for this, he always timed his practice sessions. “Vocabulary and grammar are the easiest parts of the test, so I try to complete them quickly to save time for Reading. I usually allocate five minutes for vocabulary, five for grammar, and the rest for reading.”

Minh also tackled difficult reading questions first, then moved to easier ones, marking uncertain answers to revisit. He values quality over quantity in daily studying, focusing on efficient and targeted learning.

Thanh Hung