An Athlete’s Perfect Score: 1,600 on SAT

Mike Directo, a 17-year-old senior at Hart High School in Newhall, calmly retrieved a letter from his mailbox this week that contained his SAT score. He did not stay calm for long.

“I let out a scream,� he said.

Mike received a perfect score of 1,600, placing him in elite company. Only 79 out of 283,723 students who took the SAT last year in California received perfect scores, said Kevin Gonzalez, a spokesman for the Educational Testing Service, which administers the college entrance exam. The number of perfect scores nationally was 541 out of 2.1 million.

Mike, a wide receiver for Hart’s three-time defending Southern Section Division III champion football team, has a 4.7 grade-point average. He has never received a grade lower than an A in three years at the Newhall campus, he said.

He took the SAT in April and scored 1,460. He decided to take it again earlier this month with the hope of reaching 1,500. He never thought he would get every question right, he said.

“I didn’t do any extra studying,� he said. “I took my time more and was able to answer some of the questions better. I felt more confident than the last time, but I didn’t expect anything this high.�

He said the verbal portion of the test was more difficult for him than the math.

“On the verbal, there are words you’ve never heard before,� he said. “I had to guess on a couple.�

Principal Gary Fuller said Mike’s accomplishment is “truly exceptional.�

“You don’t see that very often in our business,� he said. “I’m ecstatic. This guy is truly a great role model.�

Mike said he wants to study medicine in college and become a doctor. Meanwhile, he has been busy this summer preparing for his senior season on the football team.

“I’m still pretty shocked, but collegewise, it’s opened up some doors for me,� he said.

‘I let out a scream.’