The Truth about College Admission The Truth About Standardized Testing in 2025
Oct 14, 2025
Jed Applerouth, founder of Applerouth Education and an expert in standardized testing with a PhD in educational psychology, shares insights on the evolving landscape of college admissions. He discusses the main differences between the SAT and ACT, as well as the recent shift toward digital testing. Applerouth highlights when test prep may not be necessary, emphasizing academics over testing in certain situations. He also explains the ACT's decision to drop the science section and offers strategies for effective test prep that prioritize understanding and practice.
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Why Jed Chose Penn
- Jed chose Penn after visiting on a busy campus day and staying a weekend with friends.
- He valued the student interactions and social life as much as academics when deciding.
How Applerouth Education Began
- Applerouth Education began when Jed tutored one student after leaving McKinsey and later hired tutors as demand grew.
- His doctoral research used thousands of his students' scores to study predictors of test success.
SAT And ACT Have Largely Converged
- The SAT and ACT have converged to over 80% overlap, now functioning largely as achievement tests rather than aptitude measures.
- Key differences remain in reading difficulty, math content breadth, and that the SAT is digital-adaptive while the ACT is linear.
