Madison student has top score in the world
MADISON — A Madison Central junior is one of only six students in the world to make a perfect score on the Advanced Placement Psychology Exam for 2021.
Leo Mei, son of Hao Mei and Lianna Li of Madison, said that achieving a perfect score was no accident.
“I had to start preparing quite a while back,” Mei said. “AP tests are year-long college-level courses that require the student to start preparing a long time in advance. You can't just start studying the night before.”
Mei said that his AP Psychology class taught by Brett Mayfield was a highlight of his Sophomore year. He said he found studying how the mind works and “why we do what we do” to be fascinating.
“There are all these different perspectives on biological and social factors that affect the way our brain works,” Mei said. “It was really interesting.”
Advanced Placement Exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5, and Mei not only received the top score of 5 but was also one of only six students in the world to earn every point possible on the test, receiving the maximum score on each portion of the exam.
Trevor Packer, head of the Advanced Placement Program, in a letter to Madison Central’s Principal Sean Brewer, wrote that Mei’s score reflected the top-notch education offered at Madison Central.
“This outstanding accomplishment is likely a direct reflection of the top-quality education being offered at Madison Central High School,” Packer said.
Mei is thankful for the opportunities he has had to flourish at Madison Central.
“I just want to say thank you to Madison County Schools,” Mei said. “It is a great school district and I am thankful for the education they have given me.”
Brewer also credits Mei’s academic performance to his curiosity and intellectual interests and abilities across the curriculum.
“We are proud of Leo,” Brewer said. “He is immensely academically talented and he pairs that with a high work ethic and inquisitive mind. He pushes all of the students and teachers around him to be better.”
Mei was one of six students out of 262,000 worldwide to make a perfect score. This year he is enrolled in a number of AP classes. Mei said he enjoys all of his courses but his AP language, calculus and chemistry classes stick out to him this year.
“He is in something like six AP courses this year so he has more opportunities to make a perfect score,” Brewer said.
In his free time, Mei likes to play piano and read. His favorite genre is science fiction.
He said it is a little early to consider his next step at college though he has already visited MIT and Cornell adding that he needs to “look more into it.”