Sahli Negassi, a senior at West Orange High School, has scored a perfect 1600 on the SAT, placing him among less than 1% of test-takers across the U.S.
Negassi, 17, was born in Manhattan and raised in West Orange. He didn’t attended preschool, but credits exposure to his siblings’ textbooks early on as the basis for building a strong academic foundation.
He prepared for the SAT primarily on his own, using free resources such as Khan Academy. His Advanced Placement coursework in U.S. history, calculus and language also played a role. Balancing test preparation with AP exams and track competitions was a challenge.
“The hardest part of studying was finding time. I had to make it whenever I could… at meals, during slow class periods, on bus rides,” said Negassi.
Beyond academics, Negassi competes in cross-country and track. He is president of both the math team and the National Honor Society chapter, plays varsity chess and performs in the Royal Strings ensemble.
West Orange High School Principal Oscar Guerrero praised his achievement, stating that Negassi represents “the best of West Orange High School.”
Negassi hopes to attend Harvard and pursue a career in law.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.