2 CLASSMATES TALLY PERFECT SAT SCORES.

Byline: Terri Hardy Daily News Staff Writer

The improbable is becoming the probable when it comes to the San Fernando Valley and the SAT college entrance exam.

Consider these improbable facts:

Juniors Michael Saji and Michael Shulman this school year each scored the maximum 1,600 on their college entrance examinations - and both attend North Hollywood High School's highly gifted magnet.

Last year, of the five students who aced the exam in the Los Angeles Unified School District all were from the Valley; one from North Hollywood, three from Van Nuys and one from El Camino Real.

``It's pretty astonishing,'' said Superintendent Sid Thompson. ``Historically, Valley schools do very well academically. Obviously, we are incredibly proud.''

Administrators of the test weren't able to estimate how many exams have been taken this year. And the LAUSD might come up with more perfect scores this year, since there is one more SAT testing session open to students - Saturday.

Even so, there is no question, test officials said, that achieving 800 on the math and verbal sections is a rare event.

``It's unusual, a significant academic achievement,'' said Kevin Gonzalez, spokesman for Educational Testing Service, which administers the Scholastic Assessment Test.

Last year, Gonzalez said, of the more than 2 million tests taken, 545 students achieved a perfect score.

``That's way under half a percent,'' Gonzalez said.

But when you talk to Saji and Shulman about their feat, they are stumped by all the fuss.

``It was another test,'' Shulman said.

``Just one less thing to worry about,'' Saji added.

Please remember, these kids are whiz kids, with IQs of more than 145 and a long history of academic success. Both carry grade point averages of 4.0.

Saji remembers being briefly surprised by the results. But he didn't have time to dwell on it.

That same weekend he was competing in a science bowl tournament and playing the piano for a certificate of merit.

``I was pretty busy that weekend,'' Saji admits.

The 16-year-old said he didn't study for the exam, but he had taken the test ``four or five'' times before to gauge his academic improvement. But the test in January was especially difficult, he recalled.

``I left feeling terribly drained,'' Saji said. ``I kept making changes at the last minute.''

Glimmers of satisfaction strike Saji only when he hears other students talking about having to take the exam.

``Then, I feel vindicated. I'll never have to take it again,'' he said.

Shulman didn't study for the test. Yet he wasn't overly surprised by his results because he had already gotten a perfect score on the preliminary SAT - a shortened version of the test.

Still it rankled a bit, he said, when his friends weren't surprised by the news.

``People aren't generally surprised when I do things like this; it's kind of annoying,'' Shulman said. ``It's not that I'm arrogant, people just think of me in that way.''

Besides the satisfaction of their accomplishments, both students weren't sure how the perfect score could benefit them.

But Matthew Gleeson, a North Hollywood High School magnet senior who got a perfect score last year, assured them Tuesday that it would make their search for a college easier.

``It helps, absolutely,'' Gleeson said. ``It helps erase some other imperfections you may have. I didn't have enough community service to really stand out, but this took the weight off.''

Gleeson was accepted at all six colleges to which he applied. He will attend the University of California at Berkeley in the fall.

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PHOTO (color) Michael Saji, left, and Michael Shulman, of North Hollywood High achieved a rare feat with perfect SAT scores.

Gus Ruelas/Daily News