# How many genius dopers out there? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 23, 2000, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417 "2000-11-23T05:09:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2000, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/21 "2000-11-23T21:43:30Z")
I have always been “bright”. The first time I can remember being aware of this was in 6th grade, when classmates accused me of “sucking up” to the teacher because I raised my hand first(and always) each time a question was asked. And, damn, I _was_ good! This quickly dissappeared in 7-12th grade, when my body chemistry interferred with my brain chemistry. I was average to below average. I went to college, got by on my smarts, with little work. I applied to graduate school, and got accepted to North Carolina, in chemistry, [ **based solely on my GRE**. I **knew** how to test. I was a very average student, but scored 2nd best in my class on my GRE. The lady who scored the best was a phenom-pre-med. I knew how to take the test. I actually belonged in the bottom half of my class in actual knowledge. And, finally, the system beat me. They wanted me to treat graduate school like a real job. Work. I couldn’t do it. Or, rather, I wouldn’t do it. Smart people _can_ beat the system. ---
**Author:** ![romanticide](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@romanticide](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romanticide)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2000, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/22 "2000-11-23T21:49:54Z")
I remember I took an IQ test once in middle school. They gave me a 161 IIRC. I never let that stop me from performing marginally in high school, though. And it certainly didn’t prevent me from flunking 3/4 of my classes my first semester of college. There’s something to be said for common sense, hard work and actually attending classes once in a while. Intelligence doesn’t mean anything if it isn’t manifested through hard work. Gawd, I sound like my mom. ::sigh::. If I make no sense, I’m sorry but I haven’t slept in 48 hours. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2000, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/23 "2000-11-24T00:21:05Z")
Hmmm, I have almost as many posts as all those posters above put together. Pure genius I am. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2000, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/24 "2000-11-24T04:30:13Z")
IQ tests I’ve taken have been between 120 an 189. Take from that what you wish. But IQ tests test, among other things, one’s ability to test. Feh. ---
**Author:** ![Tzel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Tzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzel)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2000, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/25 "2000-11-24T04:48:42Z")
I took the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test sometime in late elementary/early junior high. It’s one of the tests that can qualify you for Mensa (you have to score 132). I got every question right and maxed out the test at 150. I don’t know if this number is supposed to be an IQ or not, but whatever it is, I think it’s a good score. Maybe I’m smart, but I definitely have an exceptional ability to take tests, which I’m not really proud of. All it really shows is that I can usually puzzle out what the test makers are looking for without actually having the requisite knowledge. For example, I had two years of high school Spanish. Once in 9th grade or so with a lousy teacher in my lousy Christian school. The only thing I learned was that “pelotas” means “balls,” which my classmates generalized to mean “testicles.” This spawned such hilarious exchanges as these: Classmate: “Do you have pelotas?” Other Classmate: “What?” Classmate: “Ha Ha Ha.” I also took Spanish I in my senior year, with another lousy teacher, but I actually learned a little bit there. When I took my college’s Spanish placement test, I scored in the range for people who have taken 3-4 years of high school Spanish. I definitely didn’t have the appropriate knowledge, but I was able to ferret out the correct answer, even in a foreign language. And just in case y’all are interested, I scored a 1470 on my SAT: 790 Verbal, 680 Math. I’m smart in a lot of ways, but I’m also fucking dumb as dirt in others. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2000, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/26 "2000-11-24T05:10:00Z")
The only reason I know mine is because my 8th-grade math teacher used it to argue that my poor grades were pure laziness and not because of his teaching methods, which consisted of writing the problems on the board and leaving the room. “Oh, they’re smart and will figure it out from the book.” ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2000, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/27 "2000-11-24T07:04:02Z")
158 here. High-school dropout (though I did go back). I have mixed feelings about my intelligence - I like understanding things, but that understanding leads to a lot of unhappiness that I would probably have avoided if I was of average intelligence, and I get extremely frustrated with stupid people. ---
**Author:** ![absoul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@absoul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/absoul)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2000, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/28 "2000-11-24T07:58:28Z")
> [@](#): > > blastfurnace: I’m not smart. Or in Mensa. I do like jellybeans, tho. me to! ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2000, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/29 "2000-11-24T08:09:13Z")
I have an extremely low IQ for being a member of Mensa. I think someone was asleep at the switch when they said I was in the 98th percentile. Either that or it was my bribe that did it. Whatever. I made it, yip yip yippee. Still, I don’t think anyone on the boards has the mental power equal to that of one Joe Malik. ---
**Author:** ![Mauve\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@Mauve\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauve_Dog)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2000, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/30 "2000-11-24T08:31:12Z")
Never been tested (at least, not with my knowledge…my memory is failing, so I may well have been kidnapped by aliens at some point and tested. They never sent me back the results if they did.), and don’t care to be. I highly suspect that I am at least smarter than a box of hammers, but I do a lot of dumb things you wouldn’t catch a box of hammers doing, so I’m not so sure. And I’m not in Mensa, either. Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2000, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/31 "2000-11-24T09:11:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by iampunha \* > \*\*But IQ tests test, among other things, one’s ability to test. Feh. \*\* Oh God, yes. If I could make an honest living taking tests, I’d be set for life. [720V, 730M SAT; 750V 770Q 800A GRE General; 650 GRE Music (that was 95th percentile at the time); 730 GMAT]. What does it all mean? Damned if I know. My wife is dyslexic and scores quite poorly on standardized exams, and yet is nearing completion of her PhD and has several publications under her belt already. Me, I wander from job to job (which pays the bills, admittedly, but…). I must have heaps of potential, 'cause I haven’t used any of it yet. 🙂 jr8 “I promise to stop whining now” “Some people think only intellect counts: knowing how to solve problems, knowing how to get by, knowing how to identify an advantage and seize it. But the functions of intellect are insufficient without courage, love, friendship, compassion and empathy.” – Dean Koontz ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2000, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/32 "2000-11-24T09:27:20Z")
I just rejoined Mensa this year, mostly for the social aspects. In the meetings, I can be fairly sure of finding people I can talk to. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2000, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/33 "2000-11-24T16:08:10Z")
I never could. Then again, I’ve always been pretty socially inept. YMMV, as always. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2000, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/34 "2000-11-24T16:33:10Z")
An IQ of 100 means the person is equal to other people their age. No shame in that. If you are 50 & have an IQ of 150, then you have an IQ of someone 1.5x your age or 75. Happy IQ’ing. ---
**Author:** ![Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falcon)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2000, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/35 "2000-11-24T18:36:02Z")
I could join if I wanted (IQ of 165), but like Olent, I’m rather socially inept. That, and I just never felt like joining. _shrugs_ (And side note: if I ever have kids, I swear to GOD I am not telling them their IQ scores.) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2000, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/36 "2000-11-24T18:41:19Z")
Are you kidding? I can barely muster enough brainpower to remember how to blow my nose. Ever seen “The Jerk”? The “Shit and shinola” scene comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Nessy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f04885/32.png) [@Nessy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nessy)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2000, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/37 "2000-11-24T19:07:04Z")
I’m currently in Mensa. It’s a fun group of changing characters, much like the board, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Tzel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Tzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzel)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2000, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/38 "2000-11-24T22:39:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > \*\* > An IQ of 100 means the person is equal to other people their age. No shame in that. > > If you are 50 & have an IQ of 150, then you have an IQ of someone 1.5x your age or 75. Happy IQ’ing. \*\* The concept of an “intellectual age” may have been the original mathematical determinant of IQ score, but for reasons like the scenario you outline above, it’s not really used anymore, except for school aged children. Especially since the brain deteriorates in advanced age, the concept becomes quite ridiculous for anyone above 25 or 30 years old or so. Nowadays, IIRC, IQ scores are scaled in a bell curve manner with 100 tacked down as the mean, and 15 as the standard deviation. ---
**Author:** ![Nymysys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f6c823/32.png) [@Nymysys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nymysys)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2000, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/39 "2000-11-24T22:45:01Z")
I used to belong to Mensa. I took my first college class at 8, started college full-time at 15, graduated with a couple of degrees and a handful of minors at 19. I’m now an unemployed actress. What do THEY know? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2000, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417/40 "2000-11-25T08:09:46Z")
My score on informal IQ tests has been as high as 180 but as low as 47. I have zero interest in joining Mensa. But I do have great conversations with the stuff in the back of my fridge. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-genius-dopers-out-there/42417.md?page=3)