General Discussion

distantearlywarning

(4,475 posts)

79. Graduate school is like moving from a big pond to a puddle

Mon Oct 8, 2012, 10:19 PM

Oct 2012

It can be as hard for the super bright as being in an environment where nobody gets you, but in the totally opposite way - you're used to being the smart one who has to dumb down to get along. Now everyone around you is suddenly as intelligent (or more intelligent) than you are, and some of your classes might even be over your head for the first time in your life. It can be a tough adjustment emotionally for people who have built their entire identity around their intellect and being the smartest one in the room. But grad school is also fun because you can let it all hang out on an intellectual level. There is no such thing as TOO smart or creative in the average Ph.D. program, so it's like having a totally open road in front of you.

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Meet the schoolgirl, 12, who has an IQ of 162... [View all] madmom Oct 2012 OP

162 isn't so much cthulu2016 Oct 2012 #1

It's dang high! WinkyDink Oct 2012 #5

Agreed. I'm at 150 and one of my young friends clocks in at 182. TalkingDog Oct 2012 #26

Depends on the test. renie408 Oct 2012 #46

And it is relative to age. BlueStreak Oct 2012 #31

Precisely. I tested to 165 when I was six, and trust me, I wound up reasonably bright, but ... 11 Bravo Oct 2012 #70

Depends on the scale... it's high on the Weschler Index, IIRC, gkhouston Oct 2012 #76

That's four standard deviations above normal. Manifestor_of_Light Oct 2012 #2

Someone with an IQ of 162 would tell you that it is cthulu2016 Oct 2012 #3

Silly smart person. dawg Oct 2012 #6

That's the honest truth. hifiguy Oct 2012 #25

Ouch Spider Jerusalem Oct 2012 #72

Sometimes I feel that my intelligence is more socially disabling than my Asperger's. Odin2005 Oct 2012 #74

It's both probably, I'd guess Spider Jerusalem Oct 2012 #80

Well, I'm one of those extroverted autistics. Odin2005 Oct 2012 #84

Most of the time, it just gets in the way Warpy Oct 2012 #7

Particularly if you are female. I had a great deal of trouble in middle school when msanthrope Oct 2012 #19

That's for sure. laundry_queen Oct 2012 #36

Dumbing Down distantearlywarning Oct 2012 #63

That must have been a different era than when I was in school ... surrealAmerican Oct 2012 #53

+1. My parents know what my IQ is, as did my eldest sister who overheard them. gkhouston Oct 2012 #77

We didn't do IQ tests LadyHawkAZ Oct 2012 #59

Similar thing happened to me in 3rd grade distantearlywarning Oct 2012 #62

My IQ was never tested but I'm familiar with that experience of being called out by teachers. yardwork Oct 2012 #71

Precisely. Just hang on until college. You will be rewarded for your patience. JDPriestly Oct 2012 #78

Graduate school is like moving from a big pond to a puddle distantearlywarning Oct 2012 #79

That would be my personal experience. renie408 Oct 2012 #47

could not agree more!! nt progressivebydesign Oct 2012 #82

1 in 3,406 here (or 1 in 8,137 if you look at the 15th vs 16th SD %) magical thyme Oct 2012 #17

Mine changed by 12 points when my dyslexia was accounted for. Not that it mattered much---once you msanthrope Oct 2012 #18

blood sugar, happiness quotient, smart people around me magical thyme Oct 2012 #20

Raw IQ doesn't mean all that much. MadrasT Oct 2012 #4

I had a teacher once who agreed. She thought the ZQ was more important... KansDem Oct 2012 #32

See chart: WinkyDink Oct 2012 #8

not according to this: HiPointDem Oct 2012 #9

she seems both really intelligent and really humble and down-to-earth LanternWaste Oct 2012 #10

High Childhood IQ Linked to Subsequent Illicit Drug Use, Research Suggests HiPointDem Oct 2012 #11

I learned very early to hide how much I knew. hobbit709 Oct 2012 #21

Yep, see my post upthread. laundry_queen Oct 2012 #38

I loved weed when I found it at 16. hifiguy Oct 2012 #27

Living proof, right here. DollarBillHines Oct 2012 #30

Mmmmmm.... wildeyed Oct 2012 #56

I remember just wanting something to make my brain turn off for awhile LadyHawkAZ Oct 2012 #61

This society destroys bright people. Manifestor_of_Light Oct 2012 #12

Or speling to. RC Oct 2012 #14

Plenty of people with genius-level IQs do just fine with their lives. MineralMan Oct 2012 #15

you don't want to be a pink monkey in a cage of brown ones. hobbit709 Oct 2012 #22

Very good observation.... AnneD Oct 2012 #24

i'd say it destroys dumb smart people. the ones dumb enough to think truth is more important HiPointDem Oct 2012 #23

I'd say it destroy the people that get caught up in the score of a test Johonny Oct 2012 #29

that too. HiPointDem Oct 2012 #33

True to an extent. I'd say it's worse at younger ages in junior high and high school. NYC Liberal Oct 2012 #64

Good for her. The publicity, though, won't be MineralMan Oct 2012 #13

I'm impressed. HopeHoops Oct 2012 #16

I'm 187. closeupready Oct 2012 #28

Bwah! WinkyDink Oct 2012 #68

Good for her, but what does that IQ number *really* mean anyway? caraher Oct 2012 #34

My, how smart we all are! madmom Oct 2012 #35

We are Aerows Oct 2012 #42

Statistically, 'we' are. renie408 Oct 2012 #50

Meh. Also, not "brainier" until she accomplishes something. Daemonaquila Oct 2012 #37

IQ for children are notoriously high Nevernose Oct 2012 #39

It is uncommon. People aren't "re-tested." WinkyDink Oct 2012 #69

I was. Nevernose Oct 2012 #83

It's a bell curve. wildeyed Oct 2012 #87

My heart goes out to the poor girl. JackRiddler Oct 2012 #40

149 isn't so bad :) Aerows Oct 2012 #41

I seriously doubt that I.Q. means much of anything. Speck Tater Oct 2012 #43

Being a computer programmer Aerows Oct 2012 #45

My IQ is only 72, but I am good at stacking stuff. Vattel Oct 2012 #44

Oh yeah? Mine ar 60 an eyeeee kin tipe! Whovian Oct 2012 #49

LOL wilsonbooks Oct 2012 #52

Meaningless--unless she does something for the good of mankind with her intellect. Lex Oct 2012 #48

IQ is meaningless, but I hope this attention provides her with opportunites to shine. nt rDigital Oct 2012 #51

And almost as brainy as KamaAina KamaAina Oct 2012 #54

Seriously??? I thought I was smart with an IQ of 135. Odin2005 Oct 2012 #73

135?! KamaAina Oct 2012 #85

Um, what test are they using? wildeyed Oct 2012 #55

I wish her the best revolution breeze Oct 2012 #57

Using WAIS 2 Revised I was superior, son (age 37), was 14th level of ed at 12. n/t bobthedrummer Oct 2012 #58

Very high, but not unusual enough to warrant a special article, IMO distantearlywarning Oct 2012 #60

When she discovers a new theory of gravitation or jimlup Oct 2012 #65

I'm at 182.5 tjwash Oct 2012 #66

Big deal. Mine is 68,455 Throd Oct 2012 #67

Nice but... steve2470 Oct 2012 #75

Mine was 149 in jr. high. progressivebydesign Oct 2012 #81

This thread is an unintentional demonstration of just some of the problems with being quicker Egalitarian Thug Oct 2012 #86