What do you need to do to get a perfect 1600 SAT score?
In broad strokes, it takes a lot of hard work, a lot of smart work, and some amount of luck.
But you've heard this before so just this alone isn't helpful. Let's dig deeper.
You have to want it. Really, really want it.
You need the motivation to push yourself. You need to put SAT prep as one of your top priorities in life, overcoming watching Youtube or hanging out at the mall.
In the darkest of days, when you take a practice test and drop 100 points inexplicably, and your parents are freaking out, and you're worried you're never getting into your top college, you need the inner fire to not get depressed. Instead, you need to pull yourself up and objectively rip apart your mistakes so you don't repeat them.
People don't often mention motivation, but in my view this is one of the most important pieces that differentiate successful people from not, in all aspects of life. It's much more important than just being smart.
Make a list of all the reasons you want to get a perfect score. Write them down. Stare at them when you lose faith.
Want to get into Harvard or an Ivy League school? Want to make up for a bad GPA? Want to prove to your parents that you can beat their expectations? Want to compete with your friends? Want to show up your 3rd grade teacher who said you would never amount to anything?
That's all good. Anything that drives you from within is a valid reason to work hard.
You'll need this to combat procrastination and laziness. You'll need this to push yourself to execute every strategy I tell you below. If you're not motivated, it's just too easy to brush aside failure and be sloppy about your weaknesses.
In my personal case, beyond the academic benefits, I thought the SAT was a dumb test that was impeding my life. I was angry at test writers who devised tricks to fool students. I approached it like a video game - the SAT and the College Board were bosses that I needed to dominate. Plus, my brother had a near-perfect score, and I wanted to one-up him.
Write down all the reasons you want a perfect score and use it to fuel yourself every study session.