New Jersey Average SAT Scores Released

Local students find that the bar is set high when it comes to the SAT exam.  While the national average SAT score is 1060, the average for New Jersey students stands at 1117, with Reading/Writing scores slightly higher than those for Math.

Locally, SAT scores are substantially higher than both the state and national average with Princeton High School at 1334, Montgomery High School at 1327, Bridgewater/Raritan High School at 1258 and Hillsborough High School at 1249.  Since college admissions officers compare students to peers from their specific high school, many feel the pressure to excel.

A popular time for students to take the SAT is late August. This summer exam is being offered for the sixth consecutive year after being eliminated back in the 1970’s. Students often view summer as the perfect opportunity to prepare for the exam without the pressures of school, homework, and after school activities.

May 1st College Decision Day Is Fast Approaching

April 1st has passed. That’s the deadline day for most colleges to let students know whether or not they’ve been accepted.  Now the ball is in the student’s court!  Many students find themselves with a pile of acceptance letters.  How should they make this pivotal decision?

First of all, remember the purpose of college.  It’s certainly intended to make students more educated, in general, and more aware of the world and the issues surrounding them.  But, more pragmatically, most students attend college with the goal of preparing for a career that will support them for the rest of their lives.  So, the best choice college is often the one with the strongest program in a student’s intended field of study. 

When deciding between several colleges, students should seek some key information from each. What percent of students with one’s chosen major are employed or attending graduate school within six months of graduation? What is the median salary, one year after graduation, of students with one’s chosen major? What is the college’s acceptance rate to medical or law school (if that is a future goal)?

College Admissions Officers Favor Specialization

The highly acclaimed book, Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell, famously proclaims that it takes 10,000 hours to gain mastery of a skill.  While children don’t have that kind of time to devote to a favorite activity, the premise is certainly thought-provoking.

When parents choose activities for young children, they often seek a well-rounded schedule balanced by sports, music lessons, and an academic activity such as coding or math club.  Early exposure to a wide range of activities is ideal in order for children to identify their natural talents and areas of interest.  But once that’s been determined, a popular school of thought recommends specialization. 

Specialization means choosing an activity where one is committed to putting in the effort required to becoming as proficient as possible. It’s a concept strongly recommended by Dr. Kuman Mehta, author of The Exceptionals: How the Best Become the Best & How You Can Too.

“Test Optional” College Facts In 2022

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) recently announced that applicants must once again must submit SAT or ACT scores. MIT joins a roster of colleges that have now rescinded their temporary “test optional” policy, including the public universities in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina which are often favorites of New Jersey students. 

Test optional means that SAT or ACT scores are not required of applicants.  It does not mean that they are not important. All colleges will look at test scores, if submitted, with the exception of a limited number of schools that are “test blind,” most notably the University of California.   

The reason so many colleges went test optional for the high school graduating class of 2021 was that COVID caused the mass cancellation of SAT exams.  It was important for colleges to attract as many applicants as possible, so they could be as selective as ever when choosing who to admit or deny. 

It’s important for college bound students to recognize that submitting SAT or ACT scores routinely increases their chances of being admitted to college, receiving more scholarship money, and placing out of remedial and introductory courses -- even at test-optional universities.