I.Q.-Does it matter?

[Ilike2Lurk]

How much does an IQ matter in the grand scheme of things? I can't stop thinking about my sister and her son (my nephew) and I want you all to correct me of I am wrong

Background: My nephew just turned seven. He is in first grade. A sweet boy. Quiet, happy, polite and smart. So smart, he has never received anything but 95% or higher on any of his tests. Granted, they only have Spelling, Math and Reading this young, but he does well in all of these subjects. They separate for Math and Reading and he is in the top track for both. He can read small chapter books (I bought him 5 Magic Tree House Books for his birthday and he has finished all of them) and can even do multiplication up to 12's.

A few weeks ago, his teacher recommends him for GATE (Gifted And Talented Education) and my sister is thrilled. I must admit, I am proud too.

Long story short. He had to take an IQ test to get into the class. My sister calls me on Friday and says the school wrote her, he did not make the cut off for the class. No biggie, I think. He is smart, but technically not gifted. Life goes on.

Well, my sister is DISTRAUGHT! His IQ is 94

I have to admit, I was shocked. He was an early reader, he can do multiplication tables and he is witty. Gifted? Maybe not. But, according to all of the charts, an I.Q. of 94 is BELOW average! "Dull Average". According to some excerpts I have read, he will not be able to complete a college prep class with an IQ this low. And college is out too

As of last night, my sister was still a mess. She is waiting for the bad to come. She thinks he will start falling behind in future grades, after all, he is now technically below average.

I am a bit peeved at sis She is over reacting, no? He is the same boy he was two weeks ago. I am beginning to think all of this IQ stuff is overrated. She is so depressed over this. She is obsessed with this number. BTW, She has not shared any of the information with DN7, thank goodness. I would be FURIOUS if he knew what was going on.

So, am I wrong? Is my sister right to be concerned? Will this boy eventually turn into a child that doesn't understand average concepts for his age?

Anyone daring enough to share their below average IQ success stories (i.e. My IQ is only fill-in-the-blank and I am a doctor, lawyer, author, engineer, chemist, etc.)?

 

[rie'smom]

No,I don't think IQ is an indicator. Maybe he flubbed the test. My IQ is very high-151. My brother's is not-108. I didn't finish college.He owns 3 insurance companies. My husband's is average and he has an MBA and runs a very large farming company. Tell your sister to catch a grip.

 

[ChristmasElf]

Good Lord! So the school thinks your first grade nephew won't be able to go to college due to an IQ test that was administered at the age of what 7 years old????
Seems to me the test giver should worry more about what their own IQ is!

Children are like sponges and will continue to absorb more and more the older they get. I would tell that childs Mother to not give it a second thought and there will be no reason that kid can't go to college or do anything he wants to do career wise.

 

[binny]

IQ testing at that age is unreliable at best from what I understand. They have to be older to grasp some of the concepts that are presented.

Does it matter? Honestly no. I have a DS in the gifted program. His IQ was 135 last time it was checked a couple of years ago. To be blunt, I would rather have a child who worked their tales off and got C's and B's than a gifted child who never has to work for anything.

I am quite disenchanted lately with the whole gifted thing right now. This is the first year (grade 6) that my child has actually BEEN challenged and its been very difficult. He actually has to WORk for his grades and they arent that good He has very little motivation ( not for lack of trying on our part) and doesnt really care. he is frustrated that he cant slide by anymore and it doesnt all come easy for him anymore.

I almost regret putting him in the progran to begin with but he would have been bored stiff in the regular classroom. The regualr teachers didnt know how to challenge him and his Kindergarten teacher used to use him for a reading tutor for the other kids. I felt like my hands were tied and sadly, I still do.

GATE isnt all its cracked up to be anyway. Sorry I am having a really hard time with it right now. His attitude plus the hormones are killing me.

 

[Nette]

Ok, so that test needs to be re-done. Obviously the person doing the test was not keeping him engaged. He was probably bored, and therefore careless.

My aunt is a clinical diagnostician, and she is very good at keeping the child's interest, so she gets a much better reading.

And yes, I think IQ matters SOMEWHAT. I mean, someone with a below average IQ is NOT going to be a brain surgeon or a rocket scientist. But that doesn't meant that a hard worker can't be successful. It's a matter of finding work that is challenging, but rewarding per individual.

Good Luck with this, and I would NOT worry about your nephew falling behind in the future. He's going to remain at the top of his class most likely.

 

[Carl]

If he functions at the level you say he does in reading and math, I'd say there was a mistake in the IQ test. Tell her not to worry. There will be many more IQ tests in the future.

 

[meandtheguys2]

IQ tests for children are stupid at best. There is no purpose to them. My opinion, of course.

 

[Maleficent13]

Ok, so that test needs to be re-done. Obviously the person doing the test was not keeping him engaged. He was probably bored, and therefore careless.

Bingo. IQ tests are insanely boring, and I would imagine that a 7yo would be quickly disengaged if the tester was not entertaining and encouraging.

 

[bosstoboss]

I would tell your sister to get a private company to administer the test. They are every where. This is a first that I have heard of a school administering this kind of test. Professional psychologists administered this test to my children in order get into a private school. It was the only test the schools would except.

Anyway, my daughter scored higher than my son and he is the one who gets all the "A's".

 

[WDWAurora]

First of all, that is an average score-not "dull average" whatever that is (Coming from a psychologist who administers tests daily). Average is 90-110, with 100 being dead on. IQs are basically only successful at predicting success in school. In which case, your nephew should do just fine, particularly with proper encouragement and motivation. You guys are basing a lot on one test right now, and I would not do that-look at him as a whole, not as a number on a test. He's doing well in school and on subject related tests. That's great. Consider all of it in a general way, rather than going so specific. Hope that helps.

 

[jrmasm]

IQs are basically only successful at predicting success in school.

whatever gave you that idea? Just as an example, there are many people with very high IQs that do terribly in school.

 

[WDWAurora]

I would tell you sister to get a private company to administer the test. They are every where. This is a first that I have heard of a school administering this kind of test. Professional psychologists administered this test to my children in order get into a private school. It was the only test the schools would except.

Anyway, my daughter scored higher than my son and he is the one who gets all the "A's".

Ok, this was posted while I was posting, so I wanted to respond. Schools definitely have psychologists! Yes, we are trained as psychologists, have to pass licensing exams, and become licensed (requirements vary amongst states, but there are minimum requirements). Our primary job is to provide testing for schools for placement and programming purposes.

 

[Tybug]

Oh my goodness! The child is 7 for crying out loud! Let's just write him off because he didn't test well that day...

Sounds to me like there are a lot of people putting all this childs eggs in this one test basket and not looking at the overall picture.

I'm sorry but this is a give me a break moment on many different levels. Poor parents are being told their child will never amount to anything and then there are those saying if the test scores are correct then they can't be anything they want to be... both of which are absoultely untrue.

Sad.

 

[WDWAurora]

whatever gave you that idea? Just as an example, there are many people with very high IQs that do terribly in school.

Ok, signing off to go to work, but I got this idea from my extensive training in order to become a school psychologist. This was actually one of the questions on my licensing exam. They have been found to only be successful at predicting school success, not life success. That doesn't take into account motivational factors, etc.

Again, 94 is NOT a low score. It will not keep him out of college or anything like that. Not to say he's guaranteed to go, but this will not be the deciding factor.

 

[bosstoboss]

Ok, this was posted while I was posting, so I wanted to respond. Schools definitely have psychologists! Yes, we are trained as psychologists, have to pass licensing exams, and become licensed (requirements vary amongst states, but there are minimum requirements). Our primary job is to provide testing for schools for placement and programming purposes.

This is the first I have heard of this, I didn't mean to offend anyone. That is great that schools offer this, I wish they did for my children as we had to pay to get this done.

 

[chris1gill]

His IQ was 135 last time it was checked a couple of years ago. To be blunt, I would rather have a child who worked their tales off and got C's and B's than a gifted child who never has to work for anything.

This is our story exactly with older DS... this is the first year he has been challenged and he's in a special school for the upper 20% of students... he does have to study more now in sixth grade, but there's only been one class where he's had a very difficult time, actually I think it was a wonderful learning experience, as he learned how the other half lives AND he for the first time had to step up to the plate and learn how to learn.... he's done a great job with it, he may finish that class with a B, which we thought would be near impossible.... But, he's learned an invaluable lesson.

We have a DD that has to work for her grades, but she's more than happy to do it, I'd say that DD can do anything she wants, but she will always have to study harder, longer....

In relation to students with higher IQ's, I think from personal experience they have learning needs that are different, and definitely under-served in all but the best schools. Having a child that loves to study, and learn is DEFINITELY EASIER than having a child that needs only review most material three times to learn it... tell your SIL to relax and let your nephew learn at his own rate.

 

[RitaZ.]

BTW, She has not shared any of the information with DN7, thank goodness.

Good! I hope she never does. I think that your sister needs to move on. He is doing well in school. What more could she possibly want?

I know many children that have taken those tests and missed getting into the gifted program by a few points, my oldest was one of them. I think too much emphasis is placed on these gifted programs. I think that some parents view it as a personal badge of honor. I know a few like that.

Kids that are going to succeed in high school, college and life will do so in spite of not being in a gifted program. Success is about motivation and drive. Intelligence plays a part in it, but without motivation and desire, it won't happen.

 

[jrmasm]

In relation to students with higher IQ's, I think from personal experience they have learning needs that are different, and definitely under-served in all but the best schools.

Exactly. That's why high IQ's are not an indicator of future success in school. IMO, these scores are an indicator of special needs. Plenty of kids will crap out in school because they are not engaged by traditional teaching methods.

As a side note, testing is done in our school district by guidence counselors.

To the op, while your nephew may not have a genius level IQ, I'd bet that the problem was with the tester. If your sister is truly concerned, she should seek private testing. Or she could just blow off the whole issue because he sounds like a bright little boy.

 

[MAKmom]

A few weeks ago, his teacher recommends him for GATE (Gifted And Talented Education) and my sister is thrilled. I must admit, I am proud too.

Long story short. He had to take an IQ test to get into the class. My sister calls me on Friday and says the school wrote her, he did not make the cut off for the class. No biggie, I think. He is smart, but technically not gifted. Life goes on.

Well, my sister is DISTRAUGHT! His IQ is 94

I have to admit, I was shocked. He was an early reader, he can do multiplication tables and he is witty. Gifted? Maybe not. But, according to all of the charts, an I.Q. of 94 is BELOW average! "Dull Average". According to some excerpts I have read, he will not be able to complete a college prep class with an IQ this low. And college is out too

As of last night, my sister was still a mess. She is waiting for the bad to come. She thinks he will start falling behind in future grades, after all, he is now technically below average.

I am a bit peeved at sis She is over reacting, no? He is the same boy he was two weeks ago. I am beginning to think all of this IQ stuff is overrated. She is so depressed over this. She is obsessed with this number. BTW, She has not shared any of the information with DN7, thank goodness. I would be FURIOUS if he knew what was going on.

So, am I wrong? Is my sister right to be concerned? Will this boy eventually turn into a child that doesn't understand average concepts for his age?

Anyone daring enough to share their below average IQ success stories (i.e. My IQ is only fill-in-the-blank and I am a doctor, lawyer, author, engineer, chemist, etc.)?

Your sister is not overacting IMO. There is no way his IQ is that low if he has accomplished what he has so far.

I do remember hearing they have changed the test. My quess is the person who gave him the test did not do it correctly.

 

[Ilike2Lurk]

First of all, that is an average score-not "dull average" whatever that is (Coming from a psychologist who administers tests daily). Average is 90-110, with 100 being dead on. IQs are basically only successful at predicting success in school. In which case, your nephew should do just fine, particularly with proper encouragement and motivation. You guys are basing a lot on one test right now, and I would not do that-look at him as a whole, not as a number on a test. He's doing well in school and on subject related tests. That's great. Consider all of it in a general way, rather than going so specific. Hope that helps.

Thank you and everyone else for your responses. I have been forwarding them to DSis.

WDWAurora, since you are educated in this, I would like to ask you about the test. It was administered by the school guidance counselor. It was also a test called a Kaufman 2 test (I think that is what she said--She sounded like she said "cough"). Do you have a precise link for IQ ranges of that test? Do you think this is a good test for children?

Regardless, I think you are all helping DSis with your comments. I think we live in a society where being average is equal to being "slow". That is sad