Parviz Tuksonov, an 18-year-old student from Bukhara, has become the first Uzbekistani to achieve a perfect score of 1600 on the SAT, one of the primary standardized tests for admission to the world’s top universities. In an interview with Kun.uz, he shared insights into his preparation, the examination process, and how he achieved this remarkable milestone.
Parviz studied at School No. 2 in Bukhara. He began learning English in the fourth grade and achieved an impressive IELTS score of 8.5 at the age of 16 (August 2022). Afterward, he started preparing for the SAT independently.
“When I was preparing, there were no SAT prep courses or tutors in my area. I primarily relied on online resources, including YouTube tutorials, podcasts, and books. The platform that helped me the most was Khan Academy. It offers thousands of free, high-quality courses. Using this platform, I learned the test system entirely on my own, without any tutors,” Parviz explained.
In 2023, he scored 1560 on the SAT. The following year, he improved his record and became the first Uzbek to achieve the maximum score of 1600 on the test.
“I’ve taken the SAT three times in total. The first time, I scored 1560. After that, I began teaching SAT preparation courses to my peers. Over two years, working as an SAT mentor and teaching students helped me broaden my skills. By continuously improving my knowledge and abilities, I retook the SAT in December 2024 alongside my students and achieved a perfect score of 1600,” Parviz said.
According to him, one reason no one in Uzbekistan had achieved a perfect SAT score before is that most candidates only take the test to secure admission to universities. Once they score above 1500, they stop working on further improvement.
“The first time you take the test, human factors like anxiety can affect your ability to complete and correctly answer all the questions. Even one mistake out of the total 98 questions means you won’t get a perfect score. To achieve 1600, you can’t afford any errors. To master the test, you need to take it multiple times and gain experience,” Parviz emphasized.
Parviz pointed out that relying solely on an IELTS certificate for admission to foreign universities can be challenging. Most prestigious universities require an SAT score as part of the application process. The SAT is designed to assess high school graduates’ readiness for higher education.
SAT
The test, first introduced in the United States in 1926, is now taken by over two million students annually worldwide, and the scores are used for university admissions.
The SAT assesses not only English language skills but also fundamental knowledge in subjects like physics, chemistry, and astronomy, taught in high schools.
Differences between SAT and IELTS
“Some people think SAT and IELTS are both English proficiency tests and are similar. However, the purpose and content of these tests are different. In short, SAT evaluates a student’s readiness for higher education, while IELTS measures their English language proficiency,” Parviz explained.
The SAT consists of two sections: English (Reading and Writing) and Math. Test-takers have 64 minutes for English and 70 minutes for Math, with a 10-minute break in between. The total test duration is 2 hours and 15 minutes.
“Managing time effectively is crucial during the test. How well you can manage time depends on how many practice tests you’ve worked on beforehand. Personally, before my final SAT attempt, I reviewed over 25 past test samples with my students. This helped me avoid time-related issues during the exam,” Parviz said.
According to Parviz, many test-takers struggle with the second part of the English section. To tackle this, he recommends starting with the last question (Question 27) and working backward. The grammar-focused questions at the end are often easier to solve, helping save time for more challenging questions.
