A student from an ordinary school in Astana, without an Olympiad background, has broken Kazakhstan's absolute record on the SAT – a standardized American test for admission to foreign universities, reports Todayinfo. Zhanabek Sadyk scored 1600 out of a possible 1600 points. Annually, only about 300 people worldwide achieve such a result. This year, a Kazakhstani graduate is among them, who began preparation with a score of 1170 and initial practice tests at 60%.
Zhanabek Sadyk attended Binom School named after A. Bokeikhan – a regular school, without specialized preparation for international exams. According to him, he was among the top 300 students but did not consider himself the smartest in class. When he began preparing for the SAT, the first practice tests were difficult: results hovered in the 60–65% range, with scores around 1170-1230. This, as noted by the founders of the SmarTestPrep platform through which he prepared, is an absolutely standard starting point for most students.
“There was no magic moment. There was a system.”
Zhanabek began active preparation eight months before the exam. Several hours a day were dedicated to solving problems, analyzing errors, and taking full practice tests under real exam conditions every two to three weeks with a timer. The progress dynamic was as follows: initial practice tests – 1170-1230 points, after three to four months – 75-80% level, one to two months before the exam – 90-95%, the last practice test before the actual exam – 1570. The final result on the real exam – 1600.
“It wasn't talent that got me through, but the system – courses, parents, environment. Everything worked together,” says Zhanabek.
Three things contributed most to his growth: independently seeking explanations for anything unclear, working with archived past papers, and reading – as much and as regularly as possible. He tracked his progress not by feeling, but by specific numbers.
Zhanabek compares his story to that of racer Max Verstappen: a champion doesn't appear on race day; he is formed for years before the start. His family didn't solve problems for him but created an environment where he could concentrate, supported his routine, and believed in the result even when the screen still showed 60%. His peer group also played a special role – friends who prepared together, shared materials, and kept him from giving up.
The SAT is a standardized test for undergraduate admission to universities in the USA and several other countries, developed by the College Board organization. It assesses mathematics, reading, and writing, and is one of the key selection criteria for leading universities. According to SmarTestPrep representatives, a perfect score significantly expands the geographical scope of admission: this includes not only strong Asian universities but also Ivy League institutions.
Zhanabek already has offers from several Chinese universities – he is not yet disclosing the names as he has not made a decision. He also received one of the earliest offers from Nazarbayev University, which accepts students for grants from 1530 points. Additionally, he has an IELTS score of 7.5 – a result achieved within a year. He has now completed school and taken an additional gap year to prepare for university admission. This year, the focus is on Asian universities, and next year – possibly applications to American ones. He plans to pursue mechanical engineering.
