Is My IQ Really Only 115? A Conundrum of Intelligence

[newcomer1]

Hi everyone,

This is something that's been bothering me for a while, and I realize this isn't a self-help forum, but I was hoping I'd be able to elicit some intelligent responses on the matter. I've been a pretty great student all my life, maintaining a 3.7 GPA throughout high school, and currently maintaing a 3.8 in college. I also test fairly well on standardized tests. I received a 33 on the ACT and a 2060 on the SAT. Additionally, my friends will constantly remark how smart they think I am(I'm not tooting my own horn here, I'm just trying to make a point). Anyways, last Summer, I went to see a phycologist to be reevaluated for receiving extended time on assessments(I have Dyslexia), as I hadn't been evaluated in a while, and the college of my choice requested I do this if I wanted to get extra time. So, I took a series of tests(one of which happened to be an IQ test), had a discussion with the phycologist about the results(not specific scores but general areas of weaknesses and strengths), and then left with a humongous packet. I took the packet home with me and decided to take a closer look, just out of curiosity. Flipping through, I finally came to a page that said at the top of it "Wechsler Adult Intelligence Test." So, I thought to myself, "Wow...I had no idea they were going to test my IQ...I wonder how I did..." I Skimmed the subtests and got down to the final score: a measly 115. I was highly disappointed, to understate things. Not only that, but I scored higher on the verbal portion--VCI(122)--than on the one that's apparently related to math--PRI(113). This came as a surprise to me because I've always been MUCH better at Math than English. However, looking at the subtests for the PRI, I was able to remember the tests and the instructions I was given, some of which, suffice to say, were pretty misleading. For example, for the test where you're supposed to arrange red and white blocks into particular patterns, I was told that I had as much time as I wanted, and that I should be in no rush to finish. Though, after completing a decent amount of different patterns--I got a little bit stuck on the last one, but not completely so--the lady took away the blocks and said, "We're done with that for now." Turns out I got an 11 on that subtest, which is 1 point above average. Although, how could this be? I completed all the patterns I was asked to complete. Was this subtest time-related and I was mislead? Anyways, that was among one of the few inconsistencies I noticed; however, I'm not going to sit here and blame the psychologist for an inaccurate score, as they've probably given the same directions other test subjects with effectiveness. I may seem like an egotistical jerk for saying this, but I really think my IQ is higher than "High Average." Any suggestions for improving or ways of enlightening the situation? Please be considerate. Thanks.

 

[1MileCrash]

It's nothing to get worked up over..

 

[FreeMitya]

IQ scores are just approximations. They're good at identifying low and high intelligence (that is, they can accurately distinguish between those with disabilities and those who are gifted), but I don't think they're very good at indicating which individual out of, say, a pair of people is inherently smarter when the difference is relatively small. For example, there could be one person with a score of 120 and one with a score of 130, but, based solely on that information, it would be hard to accurately predict which individual will be more successful academically, because the difference isn't that big. I know the Feynman example has been beaten to death, but he allegedly scored around 125; good, but not fantastic. Loads of people score above that every year, but I would say very few of them are as smart as he was.

It is important to remember that IQ tests don't measure creativity and imagination, two things that really come in handy in fields like physics.

 

[Evo]

So, were you denied extra time? 115 is slightly over average, and extra time does not seem justified, IMO. IQ tests don't test your overall knowledge, they were developed to test things like reasoning skills and problem solving in order to identify problems.

 

[newcomer1]

115 is slightly over average, and extra time does not seem justified, IMO.

Really? You're going to take what little data I gave and presume that I don't need extra time? Who made you a psychologist ¬.¬? They did recommend I get extra time based on some of the other tests that I took...So, it is in fact justified...And, that's aside what I was trying to get at. What I really wanted to know is if I should take an IQ test again, know full well this time that I am taking one, or whether I should just disregard the results.

 

[micromass]

Really? You're going to take what little data I gave and presume that I don't need extra time? Who made you a psychologist ¬.¬?

Uuh, you come here for advice, knowing very well that we're not psychologists. We give you the advice. And you start attacking us? I guess your response wouldn't be the same if we told you that you should have been given extra time, would it

 

[newcomer1]

Uuh, you come here for advice, knowing very well that we're not psychologists. We give you the advice. And you start attacking us? I guess your response wouldn't be the same if we told you that you should have been given extra time, would it

There are serval things that are wrong with this. First off, you used the pronoun "us," when I haven't even said anything directly to you. Secondly, I wasn't attacking anyone, I was responding to the ignorant comment made about me not getting extra time not being justified. Thirdly, the extra time portion was just meant to give coherence to the story, not meant to be the focal point of the conversation.

 

[WannabeNewton]

There are serval things that are wrong with this. First off, you used the pronoun "us," when I haven't even said anything directly to you. Secondly, I wasn't attacking anyone, I was responding to the ignorant comment made about me not getting extra time not being justified. Thirdly, the extra time portion was just meant to give coherence to the story, not meant to be the focal point of the conversation.

Lol this is hilarious kid, absolutely hilarious. There are better forums for you to go on pointless tirades on by the way; check out 4chan.

 

[micromass]

There are serval things that are wrong with this. First off, you used the pronoun "us," when I haven't even said anything directly to you. Secondly, I wasn't attacking anyone, I was responding to the ignorant comment made about me not getting extra time not being justified. Thirdly, the extra time portion was just meant to give coherence to the story, not meant to be the focal point of the conversation.

You ask:

Any suggestions for enlightening the situation?

What else could this mean than talking about your "bad" IQ test and about the time given. Additionally, you spent half your post talking about your test and getting too little time, so how were we supposed to interpret that you didn't want to talk about it?

 

[jbunniii]

All else being equal, using paragraphs instead of a monolithic block of text makes you look smarter.

 

[1MileCrash]

Good lord, this is a train wreck.

 

[newcomer1]

You ask:



What else could this mean than talking about your "bad" IQ test and about the time given. Additionally, you spent half your post talking about your test and getting too little time, so how were we supposed to interpret that you didn't want to talk about it?

What the...? I wasn't applying for extra time on IQ tests @_@... I didn't say I got too little time, I just posed the question of whether the test was time based or not.

 

[micromass]

What the...? I wasn't applying for extra time on IQ tests @_@... I didn't say I got too little time, I just posed the question of whether the test was time based or not.

Well, if that is your question, then that wasn't clear from your post at all.

 

[newcomer1]

Lol this is hilarious kid, absolutely hilarious. There are better forums for you to go on pointless tirades on by the way; check out 4chan.

I was looking for honest advice, not for someone to call me a "kid" and make outlandish requests... Seriously...I got two good posts and then three jerkish ones from people who are mad at the world...

 

[newcomer1]

Well, if that is your question, then that wasn't clear from your post at all.

That was not only question I had. More importantly, it was implied that I was distressed over the results, and was looking for advice on how to interpret the scores with a grain of salt, or alternatively whether or not it was worth retaking it with the mindset that I'd be trying my best on every question.

 

[1MileCrash]

The way you responded to evo is what provoked the type of responses you got, don't act like it was out of the blue.

 

[WannabeNewton]

All else being equal, using paragraphs instead of a monolithic block of text makes you look smarter.

Does it though? I mean you're not a psychologist so why should I believe you?

 

[micromass]

That was not only question I had. More importantly, it was implied that I was distressed over the results, and was looking for advice on how to interpret the scores with a grain of salt, or alternatively whether or not it was worth retaking it with the mindset that I'd be trying my best on every question.

Well, if you're distressed over the results and if you think you can do better, then you should retake the test. Perhaps with a different psychologist too, so you get a more representative picture.

Although the best advice we can give you is not to get worked up over IQ. It is just a meaningless number. Attaching meanings to such a number is the same thing as attaching meaning to your horoscope. It's useless, it doesn't add anything. It can only depress you.

 

[newcomer1]

The way you responded to evo is what provoked the type of responses you got, don't act like it was out of the blue.

The portion about extra time not being justified wasn't warranted. I was making that clear.

 

[micromass]

The portion about extra time not being justified wasn't warranted. I was making that clear.

It's not what you responded to evo, it the way you responded.

 

[newcomer1]

Well, if you're distressed over the results and if you think you can do better, then you should retake the test. Perhaps with a different psychologist too, so you get a more representative picture.

Although the best advice we can give you is not to get worked up over IQ. It is just a meaningless number. Attaching meanings to such a number is the same thing as attaching meaning to your horoscope. It's useless, it doesn't add anything. It can only depress you.

Thanks, that's more of what I was looking for. I'll take your thoughts into consideration.

 

[jbunniii]

Does it though? I mean you're not a psychologist so why should I believe you?

Because of my infallible low-IQdar.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I'm no expert on dyslexia, but it seems to me this should account for why your score was not higher.

 

[newcomer1]

I'm no expert on dyslexia, but it seems to me this should account for why your score was not higher.

That quite possibly could be the reason. From my experience, it affects my ability to read the most. Often times I read words out of order have trouble making sense of the letter ordering in words. For these reasons, I try and avoid reading when I can(seeking out a teacher instead of scouring a textbook for hours on end). I also do not read for pleasure because of this. However, my ability to do math isn't unaffected by it. I'm able to solve complex problems, but a lot of times I reverse a few steps or make VERY VERY terrible arithmetic mistakes, meaning I have to painstakingly sit there and look at each step in my work to figure out where I reversed the step or made the arithmetic calculation error--which, I should add, is not as easy as it sounds, because more often then not I'll make the same error again when checking even if its staring me blankly in the face. Trust me, having this disability can be a nightmare at times.

 

[micromass]

That quite possibly could be the reason. From my experience, it affects my ability to read the most. Often times I read words out of order have trouble making sense of the letter ordering in words. For these reasons, I try and avoid reading when I can(seeking out a teacher instead of scouring a textbook for hours on end). I also do not read for pleasure because of this. However, my ability to do math isn't unaffected by it. I'm able to solve complex problems, but a lot of times I reverse a few steps or make VERY VERY terrible arithmetic mistakes, meaning I have to painstakingly sit there and look at each step in my work to figure out where I reversed the step or made the arithmetic calculation error--which, I should add, is not as easy as it sounds, because more often then not I'll make the same error again when checking even if its staring me blankly in the face. Trust me, having this disability can be a nightmare at times.

I notice you don't say to zooby that he doesn't have a complete picture due to limited amount of information in your post. He's not a psychologist either, but somehow you accept his advice and reject Evo's advice. I wonder what the difference is

 

[newcomer1]

I notice you don't say to zooby that he doesn't have a complete picture due to limited amount of information in your post. He's not a psychologist either, but somehow you accept his advice and reject Evo's advice. I wonder what the difference is

Sigh...Are we REALLY going at this again, lol? Just look at the drastic difference in presentation. Evo's piece about extra time not being justified added a slight bit of arrogance to the message, whereas Zooby's had more of a compassionate, inquisitive feel to it. It was something on the order of: I don't know much about the subject, but I'm willing to offer something constructive. On the other had, Evo's was: You don't need extra time, quit your whining. Of course, this is just my interpretation, and granted everyone is entitled to see things their own way.

 

[newcomer1]

And for those of you who thought I was trolling...If I were to troll, I would have had the score been something outrageously high like 160, and would have smacked it right in the Quantum Mechanics section.

 

[lisab]

IQ tests were developed to measure cognitive abilities of developmentally disabled people. It morphed into a measure of "how smart you are", sadly. It's not a good tool for that, but your other accomplishments *are*, so don't fret too much about this result.

 

[Evo]

Sigh...Are we REALLY going at this again, lol? Just look at the drastic difference in presentation. Evo's piece about extra time not being justified added a slight bit of arrogance to the message, whereas Zooby's had more of a compassionate, inquisitive feel to it. It was something on the order of: I don't know much about the subject, but I'm willing to offer something constructive. On the other had, Evo's was: You don't need extra time, quit your whining. Of course, this is just my interpretation, and granted everyone is entitled to see things their own way.

No, that's how *you* took it because I didn't post what you wanted hear. You asked if you should have been given more time on the IQ test, no. I've taken several IQ tests since age 11. They don't give you a time limit, but they do stop you at some point.

You said

For example, for the test where you're supposed to arrange red and white blocks into particular patterns, I was told that I had as much time as I wanted, and that I should be in no rush to finish. Though, after completing a decent amount of different patterns--I got a little bit stuck on the last one, but not completely so--the lady took away the blocks and said, "We're done with that for now." Turns out I got an 11 on that subtest, which is 1 point above average. Although, how could this be? I completed all the patterns I was asked to complete. Was this subtest time-related and I was mislead? Anyways, that was among one of the few inconsistencies I noticed; however, I'm not going to sit here and blame the psychologist for an inaccurate score, as they've probably given the same directions other test subjects with effectiveness. I may seem like an egotistical jerk for saying this, but I really think my IQ is higher than "High Average."

I responded to your question about timing on the IQ test since I am familiar with them.

 

[newcomer1]

No, that's how *you* took it because I didn't post what you wanted hear. You asked if you should have been given more time on the IQ test, no. I've taken several IQ tests since age 11. They don't give you a time limit, but they do stop you at some point.

You said I responded to your question about timing on the IQ test since I am familiar with them.

"Block design is a subtest on many intelligence tests that measures visuospatial and motor skills. The testee is required to take blocks that have all white sides, all red sides, and red and white sides and arrange them according to a pattern. They are timed on this task and compared to a normative sample."

Did a little digging and found that on Wikipedia.

 

[newcomer1]

Whatever, I think I'll just retake it, get a drastically better score, and then move on with my life. Thanks for the opinions.

 

[Evo]

Whatever, I think I'll just retake it, get a drastically better score, and then move on with my life. Thanks for the opinions.

You realize your IQ score means nothing. I had 185 at age 11, which is why I've been tested a few more times over the years. It means nothing.

 

[reenmachine]

IQ tests (whether they are legit or not) are just like personality type tests , they don't mean much but I still take them from time to time anyway

But here I'm worried for OP's confidence if he fails to get a better score on his next test.I don't want to come here with a negative mood but according to the importance you're giving to your test result , you won't feel good at all if you have a similar score next time.The easiest (and probably best) way to solve this problem is to stop taking these tests that seriously.

 

[micromass]

Exactly. Don't give much importance to IQ tests.

I scored a 98 on an IQ test. It doesn't really bother me.

 

[Evo]

"Block design is a subtest on many intelligence tests that measures visuospatial and motor skills. The testee is required to take blocks that have all white sides, all red sides, and red and white sides and arrange them according to a pattern. They are timed on this task and compared to a normative sample."

Did a little digging and found that on Wikipedia.

But the psychologist determines when to stop. I was never given a time frame. There are things they observe while you are working on it. The last one after the test ended (it was just a one day test) told me she let me keep going because most people give up at some point, but I kept chugging along, she wanted to see when I'd get stumped and she finally decided we needed to move on to something else or we'd spend the night there. Now whether she was amazed that I kept going and I was right or I kept going and I was wrong, she never said. They never tell you anything. I don't know at what point my results ceased counting, she was just curious, so let me continue.

My favorite part was the snakes and bowling balls. That was what I named it. She got a kick out of that. I enjoy making things fun.

You really need to chill out. Forget about IQ, focus on your studies.