IQ societies in regards of grad admission

Hi,

I would like to know opinions and/or experiences on including membership to IQ societies in your grad school admission application. Is it a positive, a negative? Thanks.

Tony

 

That would be a negative in my opinion being that I find IQ tests to be bogus. I base this on the fact that so many people with high or relatively high IQs have such a terrible grasp on logic and common sense that it causes me to wonder what exactly IQ tests measure. Because logic and common sense is definitely a major component to intelligence. For instance, Einstein (163) and John Stuart Mill (200+) were admitted leftist socialists which had been proven impossible and impracticable economically, politically, mathematically, and ethically many times over.

just my $0.02

 

Sounds like a new business opportunity. A IQ society mill.

I can envision the ad.


Not the sharpest tack.
Elevator doesn't go all the way to the top.
Not dipping both oars in the water.

For $ 199.95 you can prove them wrong. For this small payment you get a gold embossed certificate suitable for framing plus a wallet sized card proving that you too are intelligent.

 

Snip <Sounds like a new business opportunity. A IQ society mill.>

Don't joke, Dennis. As we speak, 30 web-sites are probably being developed. Oh my.

Cheers,
Tony Maranto

 

30 days ago, I couldn't spell IQ, now I has one.....

Wes

 

In my opinion, listing such membership on an admissions application (or job application for that matter) would be a negative, since such a membership is more likely to be seen as a mark of arrogance, vanity, and/or elitism (rather than as a mark of intelligence).

My $0.02.

 

Re: Re: IQ societies in regards of grad admission

Would it be viewed as any more arrogant, vain, or elitist than listing membership in an honor society?

I think that it would depend entirely upon which grad school you're applying to, and who reviews your application. Some schools seem to put a lot of weight on membership and activity in ANY club or organization, as a matter of policy, while others don't seem to consider it at all. In any case, it would really surprise me if membership in a social club like MENSA would hurt an applicant's chances.

 

Re: Re: Re: IQ societies in regards of grad admission

Yes, I think it is different. You gain entry into an honor society, or earn a fellowship or graduate with honors based upon your accomplishments. IQ societies imply that their members are smarter than the general population. I would much rather have a average student who earns honors than one who claims to be super bright, regardless of his credentials.

Wes

 

Graduate schools and IQ tests

I would disagree. Graduate schools seem to place a great deal of importance on IQ. The GRE, GMAT, MAT, LSAT etc, are all pseudo IQ tests. Some of the "IQ societies" convert these scores into an IQ and grant membership based on it.
This does, however, make membership in an IQ society meaningless. Why should they care if you are a member of a society with people with an IQ over 145, when the GRE shows you have one of 149 ?
While I am not a huge fan of IQ tests (they don't account for talents, motivation and creativity), they are a better way of picking out graduate students than by looking at their political views.

 

Speaking as someone who in his youth was a National Merit Scholar, member of Mensa, and whose Weschler and Stanford-Binet IQ score was higher than my weight until my early 30's, my grad school neither asked about nor cared about these qualifications. I think the typical admissions committee does not necessarily give much weight at all to such issues when deciding to grant a place or not.

Regards,

Michael Lloyd
Mill Creek, Washington USA

 

If you belong to a "Low IQ" Society (would that be ASNEM?) then you might want to leave that off your application
Jack

 

Re: Re: IQ societies in regards of grad admission

My zwei Pfennig....

I agree with you Gert. Putting membership in a non honorary society such as Mensa (Menso is something funny in Spanish) may work the opposite way for the applicant. IQ is controversial & does not figure in EQ, etc. Let honorary awards, grades and GRE speak for you. I don't think there is anything worng in listing things like Phi Beta Kappa, The National Dean's List, Who is Who, etc.

North

 

You can show your intelligence in other ways - such as crafting a unique and memorable essay that captures the essence of who you are and why you want to attend the grad school. You would not believe the poorly written essays that have come across my desk. Your GPA, test scores (psuedo IQ), essays, work experience and memberships that show an interest in university sponsored activities are much more important. If you list the MENSA you better have stellar grades or they will think you are lazy and not working to your potential. Many others with lower IQs who may be evaluating your application may also snub this listing.