s/o IQ and college

[Anonymous]

I have a "low IQ" based on school assessments. I can share my own story.

I went to a big SEC school and flourished. I graduated with a perfect GPA and went to peace corps (because I didn't know what to do with my life...maybe I was just too "low IQ" to figure it out.").

I returned and decided to attend law school. I actually surprisingly scored a 176 on the LSAT (which is one of the highest scores one could pull on that test).

I went to an elite law school, clerked, did a stint in a big firm and am now happily am a fed (even more happy now that I'm getting paid).

What that entire experience taught me was that IQ tests are really a flawed tool for assessing intelligence. Incredibly flawed. And most importantly, IQ isn't a static thing. It obviously changes since my LSAT score allows me to join MENSA while the elementary school assessments bordered on the line of a learning disability.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's what SATs are for. A first grader may have other issues that haven't allowed him to fully develop to his full IQ potential yet.

Overwhelming majority of colleges admit anyone with a pulse. Only the top 100 or so have any sort of admissions standards. And new trend amongst state schools and crummy privates is to remove all math and science requirements because so many of the dummies they admit can't earn even a 2.0 in college algebra and chemistry. Days of a bachelors degree teasing out IQ are long gone.

[Anonymous]

Bilingualism researcher here. While there are documented advantages to bilingualism (enhanced executive functioning, lower rates of Alzheimers), it is simply not true that bilinguals are smarter or have a higher IQ than their monolingual counterparts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid has an IQ of 95, which is low average. He gets straight As in school. Please do not judge people on IQ. Humans are complex creatures.

I have a background in assessment. 95 is NOT low average. It is average. A standard deviation is 15 points each direction so average is technically 85-115, but most score guides say something like 91-109 is average. If you took the test on another day with a different tester an d maybe more rest,the score may have been say 105.

I can also tell you a colleague of mine who is a therapist has seen seen so many youngsters with high IQs, we're talking 140 and higher who can't seem to find themselves, get through college or maintain a job. IQ is one piece of a complicated puzzle. Too many DCUMers are obsessed with it. (Not you PP, but I have read so many eyebrow raising posts.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a "low IQ" based on school assessments. I can share my own story.

I went to a big SEC school and flourished. I graduated with a perfect GPA and went to peace corps (because I didn't know what to do with my life...maybe I was just too "low IQ" to figure it out.").

I returned and decided to attend law school. I actually surprisingly scored a 176 on the LSAT (which is one of the highest scores one could pull on that test).

I went to an elite law school, clerked, did a stint in a big firm and am now happily am a fed (even more happy now that I'm getting paid).

What that entire experience taught me was that IQ tests are really a flawed tool for assessing intelligence. Incredibly flawed. And most importantly, IQ isn't a static thing. It obviously changes since my LSAT score allows me to join MENSA while the elementary school assessments bordered on the line of a learning disability.

IQ tests are very reliable ways to test intelligence; those LSAT scores of you're correlate very closely with scores on IQ tests. Schools don't generally give IQ tests; they have to be administered one on one by a licensed psychologist. I suppose it's possible that your school had one, but apparently she was poor at her job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's what SATs are for. A first grader may have other issues that haven't allowed him to fully develop to his full IQ potential yet.

Overwhelming majority of colleges admit anyone with a pulse. Only the top 100 or so have any sort of admissions standards. And new trend amongst state schools and crummy privates is to remove all math and science requirements because so many of the dummies they admit can't earn even a 2.0 in college algebra and chemistry. Days of a bachelors degree teasing out IQ are long gone.

What a disgusting comment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid has an IQ of 95, which is low average. He gets straight As in school. Please do not judge people on IQ. Humans are complex creatures.

I have a background in assessment. 95 is NOT low average. It is average. A standard deviation is 15 points each direction so average is technically 85-115, but most score guides say something like 91-109 is average. If you took the test on another day with a different tester an d maybe more rest,the score may have been say 105.

I can also tell you a colleague of mine who is a therapist has seen seen so many youngsters with high IQs, we're talking 140 and higher who can't seem to find themselves, get through college or maintain a job. IQ is one piece of a complicated puzzle. Too many DCUMers are obsessed with it. (Not you PP, but I have read so many eyebrow raising posts.)

I’m just repeating what his neuropsych said. The average range given there was 90-110. Definitely didn’t state the larger range you are giving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That’s the thing. They have already been tested and while they have low IQs, they don’t qualify for an IEP. What will their future be?

Plumbers, electricians, carpenters who will out earn the college educated particularly teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bilingualism researcher here. While there are documented advantages to bilingualism (enhanced executive functioning, lower rates of Alzheimers), it is simply not true that bilinguals are smarter or have a higher IQ than their monolingual counterparts.

Tell us more
What do you know about a chance in the dominant language and language attrition
This always tends to fall into the third culture kid territory

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That’s the thing. They have already been tested and while they have low IQs, they don’t qualify for an IEP. What will their future be?

Plumbers, electricians, carpenters who will out earn the college educated particularly teachers.

Those professions are not high earners, unless they own a successful business. Then it is more business management than carpentry/plumbing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to back to school at a local university and noticed a few students there who had Down syndrome. I know their IQ can vary, but I’m pretty sure they were <90.

Was this UVA?

I know of at least one at Wellesley. The mother fought for years to give her daughter every accommodation do that she could attend her alma mater. Feel so sorry for her. Other students from our school say that she is miserable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's what SATs are for. A first grader may have other issues that haven't allowed him to fully develop to his full IQ potential yet.

Overwhelming majority of colleges admit anyone with a pulse. Only the top 100 or so have any sort of admissions standards. And new trend amongst state schools and crummy privates is to remove all math and science requirements because so many of the dummies they admit can't earn even a 2.0 in college algebra and chemistry. Days of a bachelors degree teasing out IQ are long gone.

What a disgusting comment.

+1

I would much rather my kid end up a low IQ student who can’t “even earn a 2.0” without removing math and science requirements than a bitchy person like you — even if he or she is a bitchy person like you who attends Stanford, takes an incredibly difficult course load, & graduates with a 4.0.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So many things to unpack in this post.

IQ tests on first graders are notoriously unreliable. They are particularly unreliable for children who have disabilities, live in poverty, or are being educated in a language that isn't their dominant language. I'd be very hesitant to make any kind of prediction about a child's future based on an IQ test at that age. In fact, I know more than child who tested quite low (IQ score below 80) who now attends an Ivy League school.

The second thing I'd encourage you to do is to broaden your understanding of what "college" is. I think that sometimes if someone did college the traditional way, where they chose a college with a national reputation, lived in campus, took a full course load of credit bearing for 4 straight years, and earned a bachelor's degree, they can think that that's what college is. But college can look many different ways. It can include classes that lead to a certificate and a career as a child care provider, or a carpenter, or a dog groomer. It can include people taking one or two classes at a time, and getting a degree in 10 years, instead of 2. It can include people with a variety of disabilities taking classes for credit with accommodations (e.g. braille textbooks), or support (e.g. a tutor), or non credit classes with modifications (e.g. the students referenced above with Down syndrome and other types of intellectual disabilities). All of these people are college students too. Given the wide variety of ways that there are to attend college, college really can be a choice for everyone.

The last thing to remember is that the goal isn't that every kid goes to college, it's that every kid graduates in a position to be able to make that choice for themselves. What does that mean? It means that their reading, writing and math skills are as strong as they can be. It means that they have experience exploring challenging content, taking positions, and defending them with evidence. It means that they know about academic honesty. It also means that they've learned to manage a complicated schedule and workload, and to interact with a variety of adults. Interestingly, even if a kid doesn't choose to go to college, or to go right to college, these skills will serve them well.

In the world of education, the goal does seem to be that outside of those with severe special needs, every kid go to college. That is what the OP is lamenting about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid has an IQ of 95, which is low average. He gets straight As in school. Please do not judge people on IQ. Humans are complex creatures.

Does he get straight A's on his own, or do you help him with his studying?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bilingual kids are smart, it has been researched. This doesn't always translate to success in iq tests
Also, iq is fluid and can grow in time
Iq tests are cultural:a question could have the word drapes instead of curtains, and confuse the test taker

Some teachers are not that good. A teacher should be able to maintain the focus of the students and be able to teach
Interest in the topic is a big predicter of success. A teacher should be able to create this in the classroom

But none of this addresses the fact that half of all kids are below average, which no one wants to admit. Everyone wants to assume that if a kid isn't performing well or has a low iq, it has to be for one of the reasons given above, it can't be because the kid really is part of the 50% of the population that is below average.