When I was at school, liking maths was something you would never admit to; it was so uncool in an average English comprehensive.
Even the die-hard geeks checked out when the brain-teasing x + y = ? puzzlers came along, complete with the total lack of empathy that the ageing bespectacled teachers in their misguided trousers had for a bunch of schoolkids whose learning style they clearly didn’t remotely understand.
Meanwhile, ask the average Kazakhstani teenager what their favourite subject is, and you’ll get the reply maths more often than not (even if they drop the S and go all USA with it). Math, I’ll have you know, is very popular in this country, not only because it is well taught but because people are often very good at it. English is high up the list, too, and your average 15-year-old in Kazakhstan speaks it as well as high performers do in most other countries, albeit not quite all of them yet. Combine the two, and you have a recipe for success on the notoriously challenging SAT test.
Nurkanat Ali is a pupil from Astana about to enter his final year at school. When working through Year 10, he became a champion in time management, as he harnessed his talents to become a serial winner in wrestling, BJJ, a high-level dombra player, and an IELTS Band 7.5 level English speaker. Oh, and he got 1,600 on the SAT Test, too.
Sure, he got no trophy for time management; I made that bit up – but should we give him one anyway? In any case, he agrees that it’s something he’s good at, and explains where it came from:
“Martial arts have complemented the knowledge I got from school, because I am able to stay calm under pressure. It has also helped me balance priorities and stay consistent. Consistency can be more important than motivation, because motivation is what helps you take the first step, but consistency, all the following steps.”
Nurkanat is an IT specialist and has a particular interest in AI, especially in using it to create, yet he is keen to use AI to complement his own ideas, not replace them.
“In AI, I think I will work as a creator, because I like seeing some programs, like for students who are going to apply to universities in USA or in other countries, the program will analyse their assets after they give information about themselves.”
His school is the Zerdeli International School in Astana, which has over 10,000 pupils and consistently ranks among the leading schools in the country. The focus is on the ENT test, which means they have an elite mathematics programme, one of the best in the region. But they also have a strong focus on positive thinking, and Nurkanat believes that they give him the necessary drive and ambition to combine with the academic tools.
“I was originally going to take ENT, but my dad looked into SAT and told me about some of the doors it would open for me, so I spent time in 10th Grade getting to grips with the test.
“I also did a course at a centre called SmartestPrep, which filled in all the gaps, and a few months later, I was ready to go.
“Sure, I had to put some serious hours in, but it was worth it when I looked on that screen and saw the magic number, 1,600!”
He would be honoured to study at his local Nazarbayev University, but currently has his sights set on a place at New York University in Abu Dhabi, citing the opportunities it gives talented students.
“They offer generous scholarships, and I am also impressed with their infrastructure, and it’s in a good place, too. I mean, safe, with lots to do.
“I am aiming to get a first-class degree in computer science from NYU in Abu Dhabi, but as for a Plan B, Nazarbayev University in Astana is such a good place to study these days, with highly competitive entry requirements, excellent staff, and good facilities.”
Getting a perfect score on SAT is like being able to fly; some mythical achievement that everybody wants to emulate. Nurkanat has some simple advice:
“First, don’t be afraid of SAT. It’s not about being naturally smart. Preparation makes a huge difference, I would say, the person who is motivated, he or she will do it easily. It depends on their discipline.”
