Teen masters SAT before high school
O.B. girl scores 800s on 2 sections as an eighth-grader
BY KRISTIN BOYD
Correspondent

MICHAEL ACKER After qualifying to take the SATs as a student at Jonas Salk Middle School, Dedeepya Konuthula, 13 at the time, took the test with students at Old Bridge High School and scored two 800s and a 680.

OLD BRIDGE - Dedeepya Konuthula's career plans are a no-brainer.

The 14-year-old girl, who recently earned 800s on both the math and critical reading sections of the revised SATs, plans to become a neurologist.

"I wanted to be a doctor for a while, and I was always interested in how the brain works," she said in a soft voice Monday afternoon.

With her tremendous brain power and positive attitude, Dedeepya is well on her way to a successful future, one that she hopes includes scholarship offers to her dream schools, Harvard University and Princeton University.

For now, though, the soon-to-be freshman at Old Bridge High School is enjoying her first month of summer vacation - hanging out with friends, taking piano lessons and completing her assigned summer reading list.

"I feel good," she said of her achievement. "I don't feel super smart."

Of the nearly 1.5 million students who took the SAT test in 2005, only 1,050 earned 800 in both the math and critical reading sections, according to the College Board, which administers the test. In New Jersey, only 65 students earned top scores, the organization reported.

Dedeepya's path to top SAT scores started more than a year ago when she performed well on the Terra Nova standardized test. The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth in Baltimore offers those pupils who score in the 97th percentile and higher the opportunity to take the SATs early.

Dedeepya took advantage of the offer and began studying SAT prep books, which she checked out from the Old Bridge Public Library. Her father, Tirumalarao Konuthula, a computer software consultant, often quizzed her in their Cottonwood Lane home.

"Whenever I had time, I would study," she said. "My dad would help me study, and he would grade my practice tests."

Dedeepya took the SATs at Old Bridge High School in January, when hordes of college-bound juniors and seniors were also taking the test. She was 13 at the time and recalled being ushered to a different room than the older kids.

Dedeepya said she felt a few butterflies when the test began, but she buckled down and concentrated on the hundreds of multiple-choice questions printed in the test booklets.

"I did feel kind of nervous," she said. "It was kind of tiring because it was pretty long."

She breezed through the math and critical reading sections before taking the writing section, which was added to the revised SATs in March 2005. The essay proved to be the most difficult part of the test for Dedeepya. The essay question asked her opinion about whether discovery or invention has provided more for society. She answered discovery, saying a good number of the advancements probably happened by accident.

"It was tough," she said, adding she scored a 680 out of 800 on the writing section. Her overall SAT score, including 800s on both critical reading and math, was 2,280 out of 2,400.

Her family is ecstatic about Dedeepya's awesome score, especially since she's not even old enough to get her learner's permit yet.

"Of course I am proud," her father said. "She is fulfilling my dreams and desires."

Dedeepya is one of Tirumalarao and Suryakumari Konuthula's three children. Her 16-year-old sister, Neeraja, an aspiring cardiologist, will be a junior at Old Bridge High School, and her brother, Sudhanvi, 9, will be a fourth-grader at Grissom School.

Before graduating from Salk Middle School last month, Dedeepya participated in band, newspaper, yearbook and academic team. She also performs community service and is a member of the Teen Advisory Board at the Old Bridge Public Library.

She is the state champion for the American Scholastic Challenge and ranked sixth in the state in the National Geography Bee. In addition, she placed second in a national essay contest sponsored by the BPO Elks of the USA.

"I'm very proud," said Dave Cittadino, the new principal at Salk Middle School. He added Dedeepya was always one of the first pupils to volunteer and lend a helping hand.

Despite her top-notch test scores, Dedeepya said she doesn't feel like a genius. She prides herself on being a down-to-earth teen who'd rather gab with her best friends than solve a math equation.

She enjoys watching movies, playing the flute and reading books, especially fantasy stories that feature dragons and other mythical characters.

And she loves the reality-TV show "American Idol," although she rarely votes anymore. Maybe if she had, her favorite contestant, the soulful Elliott Yamin, might have won the competition instead of the silver-haired Taylor Hicks.

However, Dedeepya said she knows education is important, so she always makes ample time to study in between her hobbies and extracurricular activities. "You have to study hard," she said, her tone turning serious for just a second.

But for the summertime, she added quickly, she's working on a relaxed schedule. That means a little less studying and a lot more hanging out, she said, laughing.