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    #154835 04/29/13 03:58 PM
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    I am a 15 year old in the 9th grade. My parents have tried to have me enrolled in Pine View School (currently 6th top high school in the United States), but my IQ is not high enough to be labeled as gifted (IQ requirement is 130 I believe). I am a high achieving student. Freshman year my classes include: Spanish 2, Band, AP Human Geography, Biology Honors, Health Science, English 1 Honors, Algebra 2 Honors, Geometry Honors (taking online), and HOPE (Health and physical education, finished the course online). I have gotten a perfect score (150/150) on the Math PERT (Postsecondary Education Readiness Test)and passed the Reading and Writing portion in order to get into Dual Enrollment English (typically an 11th grade class). My report card:
    Quarter 1
    Spanish 2 97
    Band 99
    AP Human Geography 86
    Biology Honors 97
    Health Science 96
    English 1 Honors 100
    Algebra 2 Honors 100

    Quarter 2
    Spanish 2 93
    Band 98
    AP Human Geography 90
    Biology Honors 100
    Health Science 100
    English 1 Honors 100
    Algebra 2 Honors 100

    Quarter 3
    Spanish 2 94
    Band 100
    AP Human Geography 91
    Biology Honors 100
    Health Science 93
    English 1 Honors 100
    Algebra 2 Honors 100

    Last year, on FCAT (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test) I scored a 4.5 on Writing, 5 on Math (perfect score), 5 on Reading (1 wrong), and 5 on Science (2 wrong).
    I am really passionate about school, learning, and education. I was in (in terms of extracurriculars) Academic Olympics, Speech and Debate, and MAT (Mu Alpha Theta, basically a math honors society) this year. I am left handed and for some reason I heard that left handed people generally score lower on IQ tests. I am genuinely curious as to why I can achieve good grades and scores on tests, but not be gifted. I would appreciate some input on my situation. Thank you! smile

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    Jenny,

    WOW!! You are very accomplished. Those are amazing grades.

    Just because your IQ doesn't make the "gifted" score the school requires doesn't necessarily mean your score is low. In fact, wth the WISC IV, 123 is still considered gifted.

    In life, the "score" doesn't really matter. Look at those grades as proof that success is a combination of drive and passion. You are intelligent. Of course you are.

    I also read somewhere on this site that for an older student such as yourself, achievement scores begin to have more meaning than IQ assessments.

    Last edited by KADmom; 04/29/13 05:30 PM.
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    Even the current president of the country has an IQ that wouldn't be considered 'gifted'. Don't get hung up on the IQ score. The 'optimal' IQ is supposedly just South of 'gifted' anyway.

    The 'dirty little secret' is that nobody really cares about IQ - no college will admit you solely on the basis of it and no employer will ever do it either. People look at achievements and you have them in spades smile

    Last edited by madeinuk; 04/30/13 04:22 AM.

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    I totally agree with KADmom - your achievements are wonderful!!! The last thing on earth I'd focus on is that IQ # - and to be honest, if it's keeping you out of a school that you really want to attend - I'd advocate like crazy to try to get accepted - you may be able to do it even with the one IQ test that doesn't quite meet the admissions criteria. If you want some ideas on how to advocate for it, let us know.

    And is it possible to be a super-high achiever without a super-high IQ? Absolutely. Please don't let this one thing discourage you - keep on plugging away and try to get into the school you're hoping to get into! And if that doesn't work out, you might find another school program that is every bit as good smile

    And... just out of curiosity - can you tell us which IQ test you had? I'm just curious if it was either the WISC/SB-5/WJ-III or if it was something like the CogAT. Not all the tests advertised as "IQ" tests are necessarily innate IQ tests... and the tests our local high schools use as screeners are not the WISC/etc... so I can totally imagine a student here coming away from testing thinking their IQ was XYZ when in fact they hadn't really even had an IQ test.

    Best wishes,

    polarbear

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    Originally Posted by madeinuk
    The 'dirty little secret' is that nobody really cares about IQ - no college will admit you solely on the basis of it and no employee will ever do it either. People look at achievements and you have them in spades smile

    madeinuk and I were posting at the same time so I didn't see this until I posted... but fwiw I *totally* agree with this - I have no idea what my IQ is, and no one in the real live adult world has ever asked. The key to getting the jobs I applied for and into the programs I wanted to be included in were the achievements listed on my resume - and you've got a GREAT start on that!

    polarbear

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    No one knows what the current President's IQ score is. All possible scores are guesses based on the fact that he graduated from Law School, or his SAT scores, etc. Here is a quote from Wikianswers that sums up some people's thinking on the issue.

    Note: To many professionals in the 'IQ' field , this discussion is utterly absurd. We have no idea what Barack Obama's IQ is, but nobody with even a rudimentary understanding of what IQ means and how it is determined would suggest that any of the estimations methods (school grades and positions held at college) described in the answer have any validity whatsoever.

    Michelle skipped 2nd grade so I suspect she must be PG! wink

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    Originally Posted by madeinuk
    Don't get hung up on the IQ score. The 'optimal' IQ is supposedly just South of 'gifted' anyway.

    I've heard this too.

    So why is this?

    Speaking for myself, I was never matched with the right curriculum at an early age and a number of things happened. My perfectionism developed (never had to struggle through adversity), I became socially ostracized (nobody likes that weirdly smart kid that the teachers fuss over), boredom and restlessness led to anger, my extremely sensitive nature caused me to react strongly to things that others didn't, like justice and cruelty, etc. I was like an alien... always either on the verge of tears or completely numb. It was awful. I just couldn't identify with the other kids. By the time I reached high school I absolutely hated public education and I wanted nothing more to do with it.

    That's just my story... maybe there are others here who can chime in with reasons why the "non-gifted" (assuming you really are that, and your test scores weren't wrong, because that can happen too) can out-achieve the ones who test higher.

    Someone with a lower IQ might not be as mismatched at a young age and get off to a better start, for one.

    There are other qualities that accompany giftedness that can really throw a wrench into things, like obsession with details, intensity, anxiety, sensory issues that cause concentration problems, social awkwardness, etc etc.

    Jenny it seems ridiculously unfair that you can't get into Pine View because of an arbitrary test score, but know this: you're off to a great start with your education. Just keep doing what you're doing, because clearly you have it figured out smile

    Best of luck smile

    Last edited by CCN; 04/29/13 08:09 PM.
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    Hello CCN,

    My story was exactly like yours. Nonetheless, I never took a single Honors or AP class because I felt as though I would be wasting my time, regardless of the environs. I preferred to skip class and read Hume, Nietszche, or Victor Hugo instead--they became my best friends.

    What was the point in attending classes if all you encounter is a low level of stimulation, ostracism, and isolation?

    Jenny: You are obviously very intelligent and will go far in life; I have no doubt. You have everything you need to engender your own success and encounter those who can assist you in the process

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    Originally Posted by QT3.1414
    Hello CCN,

    My story was exactly like yours. Nonetheless, I never took a single Honors or AP class because I felt as though I would be wasting my time, regardless of the environs. I preferred to skip class and read Hume, Nietszche, or Victor Hugo instead--they became my best friends.

    I can relate smile My DD10 as well... her appetite for reading interferes with her homework. I can't really object (I guess I "should," but... sigh)


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    Jenny, the other thing to remember is that an IQ test is one measure taken at one particular space in time. Were you tired, thirsty, getting sick, anxious, having a bad day? They can all affect your score.

    If you can't advocate your way into this school, perhaps you can take a different IQ test in hopes it will catch you on a better day. Obviously you're a great student, so it doesn't matter whether you have a high IQ or not (of course you do!). But if this one score is keeping you out of your dream school, consider other testing options.

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