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Most of the highest achieving states on SAT/ACTs are the more rural states with low school funding, but homogeneous populations--Utah, Wisconsin, Oregon etc..
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<p>In Utah, the LDS religion is very large and in charge...the church has its own educational system that begins at a very young age...2 or 3. Thus, roughly 55-60% of the pupils in Utah are essentially receiving two educations at the same time. My buddy went to the most mediocre high school in the land, and got a 5 on 12 AP tests, and scored a 35 on the ACT...ofcourse, he went to BYU, but he could have schooled any Harvard admit on most subjects. The ACT was laughable for him.</p>
<p>Ken Jennings, the Jeopardy phenom? went to BYU, is LDS. They teach their members how to study hard, and learn well. It's very much highly encouraged.</p>