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Perfect SAT scorer is 'cool under pressure'
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By Susan Respess
For David Anthony, the first Camden County High School student to get a perfect 2400 on his Scholastic Aptitude Reasoning Test, it's all about focusing.
"It's being cool under pressure," said Anthony, 17, brimming with excitement over the news. "With two older brothers around, I could always focus well. I can take the SAT with jack-hammering around me."
Anthony took the SAT for the third time in October, and his perfect score puts him in the 99.98 percentile among more than 1 million students who take the exam each year, according to the College Board, which administers the test.
Dr. Will Hardin, superintendent of schools, said Anthony is the first student to make a perfect score on the current SAT, which added a third component in writing in 2005. Several years ago, a Camden High School student made a perfect 1600 on the SAT when it comprised a math and verbal section.
"I'm not surprised, because I think we have some really bright students at the school," Hardin said. "I'd put our top 10 percent against anybody in the state."
Anthony said he's still finding it hard to believe.
"I've always liked science, and math came easily to me," said Anthony. "I don't consider myself a good writer or reader, but I'm a good test taker. It's a unique skill."
The student, who's also president of Key Club, second vice president of Beta Club and played junior varsity tennis last year, said he's been helped by higher-math teachers at Camden High. He especially credits Dr. Steven Dir, who teaches SAT prep.
But Dir said he couldn't take the credit.
"He's very bright. I think a lot of it is just David," Dir said.
But Anthony notes that three people in his graduating class made perfect math scores on the SAT.
"I don't know what's going on at the high school, but we are getting good," Anthony said. "We have tons of AP (advanced placement) classes. It's intense."
Anthony's parents always considered a good education a priority.
"My parents always made sure we were in a good school, even if they had to drive an hour and a half to work," he said. The family lived in Tampa, Fla. and Canada before moving to Georgia. His father, Fredrick Anthony, an instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, recently began a job in Washington, D.C. in customs and border protection. His mother, Ana Anthony, is a respiratory therapist in Jacksonville, Fla. Both brothers are studying engineering in college.
To prepare, Anthony said he took the PSAT and an SAT prep class. And he worked some of the practice tests in his brothers' old SAT workbooks.
He has set his sights on MIT and hopes to become a doctor in internal medicine.
The school environment has a lot to do with success, he said.
"If you are around students that have the same desire and determinedness, that will help a lot. It's going to be the kids that are the drivers. If everybody is striving for that goal that is almost out of reach, that is going to be some good effort."
For fun, Anthony plays the videogame Super Smash Bros.
"It's the best, and maybe it helps with reaction time," he said. "Half the honors kids play it," he said.
The first person he told about his score was his mother. Then he talked with his father by phone.
"He said, 'That's wonderful son. Now, go take out the garbage.' My parents try to keep me grounded," Anthony said.
"It's being cool under pressure," said Anthony, 17, brimming with excitement over the news. "With two older brothers around, I could always focus well. I can take the SAT with jack-hammering around me."
Anthony took the SAT for the third time in October, and his perfect score puts him in the 99.98 percentile among more than 1 million students who take the exam each year, according to the College Board, which administers the test.
Dr. Will Hardin, superintendent of schools, said Anthony is the first student to make a perfect score on the current SAT, which added a third component in writing in 2005. Several years ago, a Camden High School student made a perfect 1600 on the SAT when it comprised a math and verbal section.
"I'm not surprised, because I think we have some really bright students at the school," Hardin said. "I'd put our top 10 percent against anybody in the state."
Anthony said he's still finding it hard to believe.
"I've always liked science, and math came easily to me," said Anthony. "I don't consider myself a good writer or reader, but I'm a good test taker. It's a unique skill."
The student, who's also president of Key Club, second vice president of Beta Club and played junior varsity tennis last year, said he's been helped by higher-math teachers at Camden High. He especially credits Dr. Steven Dir, who teaches SAT prep.
But Dir said he couldn't take the credit.
"He's very bright. I think a lot of it is just David," Dir said.
But Anthony notes that three people in his graduating class made perfect math scores on the SAT.
"I don't know what's going on at the high school, but we are getting good," Anthony said. "We have tons of AP (advanced placement) classes. It's intense."
Anthony's parents always considered a good education a priority.
"My parents always made sure we were in a good school, even if they had to drive an hour and a half to work," he said. The family lived in Tampa, Fla. and Canada before moving to Georgia. His father, Fredrick Anthony, an instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, recently began a job in Washington, D.C. in customs and border protection. His mother, Ana Anthony, is a respiratory therapist in Jacksonville, Fla. Both brothers are studying engineering in college.
To prepare, Anthony said he took the PSAT and an SAT prep class. And he worked some of the practice tests in his brothers' old SAT workbooks.
He has set his sights on MIT and hopes to become a doctor in internal medicine.
The school environment has a lot to do with success, he said.
"If you are around students that have the same desire and determinedness, that will help a lot. It's going to be the kids that are the drivers. If everybody is striving for that goal that is almost out of reach, that is going to be some good effort."
For fun, Anthony plays the videogame Super Smash Bros.
"It's the best, and maybe it helps with reaction time," he said. "Half the honors kids play it," he said.
The first person he told about his score was his mother. Then he talked with his father by phone.
"He said, 'That's wonderful son. Now, go take out the garbage.' My parents try to keep me grounded," Anthony said.
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