Emma Tai and Brian Root-Bernstein never expected it -perfection caught them off-guard.
The 17-year-old East Lansing High School seniors both scored 1600s on 2001 administrations of the SATs.
“I was really surprised,” Tai said. “I had not expected to do that well. I registered really late and had to take it in Mount Pleasant.”
Tai said no one expected the results. “I got a lot of congratulations but a lot of teasing, maybe because I don’t have much common sense.”
During Tai’s testing date last May, 13 of 20,260 students in Michigan and 541 of the 2.2 million students nationwide who took the SAT achieved a 1600 score.
Root-Bernstein had a similar reaction to Tai’s when he received his score.
“People that I wasn’t close with didn’t react well,” he said. “They seemed kind of jealous, but my friends were cool with it.”
Although Tai and Root-Bernstein took the SAT in middle school, neither prepared with standardized testing materials. Root-Bernstein had been taking the test every year since the seventh grade.
“It’s possible to get a 1600 and be normal,” Root-Bernstein said. “It’s not like you have to be a super-nerd or anything to do it.”
Root-Bernstein plans to attend Princeton University in New Jersey and is considering studying computer science, English or engineering. Tai plans on attending Brown University in Rhode Island, but is taking a year off. She does not know what her major will be but said part of the appeal of Brown is the lack of a core curriculum.
The pair have Advanced Placement calculus and Advanced Placement physics together. Root-Bernstein is also taking chemistry, Spanish IV, economics and Advanced Placement language and composition.
Tai has Advanced Placement French, economics, Advanced Placement literature and yearbook in addition to her classes with Root-Bernstein.
“They take the most challenging courses that we have to offer,” East Lansing High School Principal Paula Steele said.
Tai is the editor in chief of the school newspaper, co-editor of literary magazine, a returning board member of Students for Environmental Action and a yearbook staffer. She was also on East Lansing High School’s homecoming court.
“I always thought of myself as a huge nerd - that’s why it was a huge surprise to be on homecoming court,” she said.
Like Tai, Root-Bernstein balances his schoolwork, extracurricular activities and social life. He is involved in cross country, tennis and plays alto sax in the Lansing Concert Band.
“I don’t value grades very much at all,” he said. “I like how I interact with people. I think that’s more important than some score I can parade around.”
The district was proud of the students’ accomplishments, Steele said.
“They represent many other students,” Steele said. “Not only are they great students, but they are great people.”
