Just how smart is New Jersey?

The question of how smart somebody is was frequently used in the '60s and '70s to determine the likability and drive of a person going for a job. If you were perceived as smart, the advantage for the businesses is that you worked hard, you were driven, and could solve day-to-day problems, which would ease the workload on others.

Strategic thinking pays off

According to US Poker Sites, which conducted this survey, strategy pays in poker, business, and life. I can see their reasoning. Successful poker players read many factors to determine if they should continue with their hand or fold it up.

Good business savvy happens from those who produce great ideas but use strategy in making that great idea a reality. Patience and strategic action are all parts of making that idea successful.

Life strategies are a weaving in and out of highs, lows, and acceptance. Knowing when to pursue life’s interests without disturbing those factors that will have a negative impact on you and or your family and friends.

These are all examples of smart decisions.

How the rankings were determined

To determine the ranking of each state, US Poker Sites scored each state with a score of 100 based on how it performed across all categories. The final rankings reveal which states are building smart habits and which states are falling behind.

To determine the overall state rankings, they used the following criteria: Class participation per 10,000 students

Number of STEM High Schools in the top 500

Number of casinos

IQ Rankings

% of people taking the SAT test

Average SAT score

% of STEM Workers

How did New Jersey fare?

New Jersey did very well and ranks third overall, only falling to Massachusetts and New York. The difference between New Jersey and New York was two tenths of a point!

According to the study, New Jersey is the third smartest state with an index of 58.69. Highlights for New Jersey include the sizable percentage taking the SAT test, the high average score of the SAT, and the fact that New Jersey has 9 casinos.

New Jersey also does very respectable in the other categories, which pushes their overall ranking to number 3.

I am a guy who can’t figure out how to put an IKEA table together, but I know smart people when I see them, and I see many of them right here in New Jersey.