FORT WASHINGTON -
Winning the lottery, lightning striking twice, a perfect SAT score? This last rare occurrence was achieved by one Philadelphia senior who deserves some special recognition.
"I woke up and checked my score on my cell phone and I didn't believe it at first, so I kept refreshing the page and after five to 10 times refreshing I woke my parents up. ‘Mom, dad I got a perfect score!'" Cameron Clarke told FOX 29, remembering the day he found out he was notified of his perfect SAT score.
As we know, SAT's can feel like a make or break moment for students awaiting acceptance letters from colleges.
Rich Schellas, head of Germantown Academy Upper School, where Cameron has gone since pre-k, told FOX 29 "When you have the talent and work ethic Cameron has, it's really kind of indisputable that a perfect day is going to come and he had a good day."
Cameron said he knew he needed to stay focused during the exam, one mistake could have set him off the path to perfection. "I realized with 5 minutes to spare that I made a mistake and I need to erase 35 bubbles and go back and write them in the right sections. So that was kind of the low point of the day for me."
This SAT stud admits to being addicted to Starbucks' Mocha Grande's for late night studying but credits his circle of friends as positive influences, taking SAT prep classes and working together to shore up each other's weaknesses.
Now, this scholar doesn't just spend all of his time studying, "music is what takes up most of my time," Cameron says. He is the principle cellist of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, and involved at school as the editor on the school newspaper, a writing advisor in the school's writing center, senator in the student government, is involved in the math club, and in multiple honor societies.
"He's a stellar kid in the classroom and outside of the classroom. I like to look at the cello kind of like his varsity sport," Schellas said.
Wanting to continue his musical interests, Cameron is hoping to hear back from one college very soon. "My first choice is probably Princeton University, I applied early action."
"I want him to dig deep and find that thing that really speaks to his heart and based on what he has done here at GA (Germantown Academy), I'm pretty sure he will find that," Schellas said.
Cameron reflected fondly on his time at GA, saying "I try to stay busy here as much as I can just because the community has given so much to me, and I try to give back in whatever ways I can."
Cameron Clarke scored a perfect score on his SATs. The Philadelphia high school senior is now waiting to hear back from Princeton University.
