SACE results secrets revealed: South Australian Year 12s tell ‘How we got our perfect ATARs’

There’s more to getting the top possible marks than just turning up to class. Three perfect SA students tell us how they did it.

• ATAR scores are out

Of the near 16,000 students to complete their SACE this year, 11 students stood above the rest with a perfect final score.

Among them were Lewis Gilbert, Lilianna Pourgiezis and James Le, who knuckled down to achieve a 99.95 ATAR, the highest score a student can achieve.

Lewis, 18, left his home in Hong Kong to study at St Peter’s College in 2022.

The teen, who grew up speaking both English and Cantonese, said initially he was “pretty homesick thinking about my friends from back home” but started extra-curricular activities such as band, rowing, basketball and rugby to be part of the community.

Lewis Gilbert left his home in Hong Kong to study at St Peter’s College in 2022. Picture: Matt Loxton

Wilderness School graduate Lilianna Pourgiezis said year 12 was “the hardest year” of her life. Picture: Matt Loxton

“I put myself out there and joined as many activities as I could,” he said.

The secret to achieving a perfect result, Lewis said, is to pick enjoyable subjects.

“If you’re doing a subject you hate, you’re not going to do well,” he said.

Next year Lewis hopes to study engineering and maths at The University of Adelaide before embarking on a career in defence or space.

“If I have the opportunity to make any kind of flying object that’s pretty sick,” he said.

Wilderness School graduate Lilianna, 17, said year 12 was “the hardest year of my life but also the best year”.

James Le, from Pembroke School, wants to study medicine. Picture: Matt Loxton

The three students attended the SACE Governor's Commendation Awards in Adelaide on Monday. Picture: Matt Loxton

“I did put a lot of pressure on myself to do well,” she said.

“It’s stressful because it’s the first time it matters … your whole future kind of rides on it.”

Lilianna, a netballer, said balance was the key to success.

“I think a lot of friends of mine thought if they went hard the whole year they could do it and they struggled,” she said.

“Don’t get caught in the weird understanding that it’s just study, study, study.”

Lilianna hopes to study medicine at The University of Adelaide as both of her parents studied it there

“It would be nice to keep it in the family,” she said.

James Le, who finished his schooling at Pembroke School, also wants to study medicine.

“Doctors play such an important role in society and improving the quality of life for people is something I want to do,” he said.

The 17-year-old said he would lock himself in the University of Adelaide library, where he undertook subjects such as human anatomy and physiology, for hours after class to study.

James said playing flute, which he did as part of a trio, was “a good way to release built up tension and brain energy”.

“Music has a lot of emotion and I can relax from it and feel better,” he said.

Originally published as SACE results secrets revealed: South Australian Year 12s tell ‘How we got our perfect ATARs’