Ask questions via twitter! Message any question to @answers on twitter. We'll publish the question and send you a reply each time there's a new answer.
Next Question

Answered Question

 
 M¢25  Funded By Mahalo ? |  November 04, 2009 03:22 PM

Are Universities the wrong place for people with IQs above 160?

Do Universities miss the ball by falling the recognize the super smart and cater to their skills and abilities?
Interesting Question?  Yes (0)   No (0)   
RSS
 
 

Best Answer  Decided by Votes

 
November 04, 2009 05:02 PM
First, psychologists who measure such things say that once you go beyond about 2 sigma above the average (i.e. above 120 IQ) test results are not very meaningful beyond saying someone is high-grade genius. Leaving that aside, and proceeding to the more interesting part of the question, I'd say that major research universities are excellent places for super-smart students, as long as their social skills are sufficient.

Top universities have outstanding faculty members who are in the best position to mentor and guide super-smart students. The main limitation is that during under-graduate studies, many classes have well over 100 students, and as such may be far too slow to engage a super-smart student. If such a student had poor social skills, s/he'd soon do or say something to alienate the large body of more average students, and may be ostracized. Super-smart students may also have skipped one or more grades in K-12, and may be younger than the average student, leading to even more social challenges.

In the final analysis I'd have to say that a good university is the best place for most super-smart students intellectually. If their social skills are lacking, these students will need a good deal of parental support until they mature emotionally.


Helpful Answer?  (1)   (0)   

Helpful: davepamn

Tip opher for this answer
Permalink | Report
   Reply  
 
 
 
November 04, 2009 05:14 PM
If your supersmart then go to a top ranked school. Ideas will feel each discussion and students can challenge their professors.

However, if you read the Chris Langan story the first University, he attend failed to recognize his talent despite the fact he missed one question on the SAT. I would say that SAT is in trouble for having a potential flawed question.

Langan says he has the skill to skip past all the wasted trivia that normal people consume their time with and get at the issues, fast. At school, Langan showed up for the test with very little in school preparation and aced all his test.

If you could meet Chris Langan, what single question would you ask him?

Report
 
 
 
November 04, 2009 05:18 PM
How fast would a top notched Professor start to look dumb around a guy with a 195 IQ?

I say you give the guy $50 million dollars and the opportunity to build something that will change the world. For example, an electronic blue brain or new form of energy production system.

Report
 
 
 
November 04, 2009 05:25 PM
I don't think I'd have any special questions to ask a super-genius just because he's smart. If he's an expert in a field I'm interested in, I may have one or more questions to ask about that.

As for giving a super-genius a lot of money, that's what most research grant funding agencies try to do. Smart researchers come up with an idea of what they want to research, write a proposal, it gets peer-reviewed, and those proposals deemed worthy get funded, sometimes much more than $50 million. However, if you're talking about a no strings attached, no reporting required, go where you want kind of grant, that's very rare. Bell Labs did that for a long time and saw very little return, until one of their researchers accidentally discovered the transistor.

Report
 
 

Answer this Question

How tips and payments work

This question has already been resolved. You may add an answer to it but you will not be eligible to win best answer or any associated tips.

Related Questions

No questions found.

Ask a Question


140 characters left
Top of Page
Buy Mahalo Dollars with Credit Card or PayPal

Top Members

This Week All Time
  • buddawiggi
    buddawiggi
    2nd Degree Black Belt
    27115 Points
    M$783.09 Earned
  • kty2777
    kty2777
    Purple Belt with a Brown Tip
    5444 Points
    M$199.92 Earned
  • opher
    opher
    Purple Belt
    4166 Points
    M$187.17 Earned
   See All
 

Most Popular Tags

mahalo(1592)
iphone(462)
music(459)
google(355)
food(315)
online(293)
beer(278)
money(262)
movies(255)
apple(251)
aotd(235)
health(217)
video(204)
dog(204)
free(202)
   See All
 

Categories

Welcome New Members


 
 
Mahalo Dollars are the currency of Mahalo Answers.

Each Mahalo Dollar costs $1.

Once you earn more than 40 Mahalo Dollars, you can request to be paid via PayPal. Each Mahalo Dollar is currently worth $0.75 when paid out via PayPal. Learn More

 
 

Please log in to use this function.