Posted on 01/27/2024 5:53:46 AM PST by george76
The average college student has average intelligence, concludes a meta-analysis by Canadian researchers, writes Ross Pomeroy on Big Think. In 1939, when only 10 percent of Americans enrolled in college, the average IQ was 119. By 2022, it's down to 102, not significantly above the average of 100.
“The decline in students’ IQ is a necessary consequence of increasing educational attainment over the last 80 years,” the researchers wrote. “Today, graduating from university is more common than completing high school in the 1940s.”
The “Flynn effect” -- a steady rise in IQs from 1940 onward -- has been well established, writes Pomeroy. However, "there are signs it may have reversed in the first two decades of the 21st century."
The "college for all" movement and easy access to student loans persuaded most high school graduates to give college a try. However, only 58 percent of students complete a degree within six years, Pomeroy notes. Students with lower IQs are more likely to drop out. "One influential study showed that for white American undergraduates with an IQ only slightly above average, their chance of graduating is essentially 50-50."
The researchers called for professors to "adjust curricula and academic standards" so average students can succeed. However, they warned that “employers can no longer rely on applicants with university degrees to be more capable or smarter than those without degrees.”
Some degrees will retain their value, especially those from selective universities. But a Fuzzy Studies degree from Regional State U will be even less impressive to employers. (I believe a gender studies degree signals: "Don't hire this person.")
In 2017, Education Testing Service "experts" estimated that physics (133), math (130), philosophy (129) and materials science (129) majors have the highest IQs. (I assume they're extrapolating from SAT scores.) I was an English major (120). Education majors average 110.
"A degree has become increasingly meaningless as more people attain it," writes Pomeroy.
"Last year, for the first time, the Wall Street Journal-NORC poll showed that 56% of Americans think attending college is not worth the cost," a significant change in 10 years. "Skepticism is strongest" among people of college age.
Ahhh, but they truly believe they are not just intellectually superior, but that they also possess a profound wisdom beyond their years. When combined with “good intentions”, these delusions comprise a recipe for disaster ... as we’ve all seen time and time again!
“Some degrees will retain their value, especially those from selective universities”
Whatta laff! You mean the Affirmative Action “First Generation” stoodnts from Hah-Vahd and Yale?! Maybe the 35% of “hispanics” from the University of California who somehow magically get into to those schools in direct proportion to their share of the population, while testing in the basement in virtually all subjects of substance.
Not surprised since admission standards have been lowered so much including many colleges getting rid of the SAT and ACT.
What did they think was going to happen?
Now it's men that go to college to get a spouse...lol
..........you forced me to do math.....racist....lol.
Remember the University of Texas at Austin got all upset over having to automatically admit the top 10% of HS grads which somehow might interfere with enrolling their not so smart 100 member football team. UT has 52,000 students but they were so worried about the team they took it to court. Never mind they were the reason for the top 10% ruling in the first place. Seems the univ prez and the coach had low IQs.
They 'drop out' when the student loan money they party hard with runs out.
Not when it comes to school. Boys, more so than girls, endure a punishing, brutal, and competitive rule to excel in school.
Jerry Lewis Telethon
Brandon once said, “poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids.”
Yes, environment and parental involvement has a lot to do with it. Kids who are allowed to roam the streets all night and can’t find their way to school the next morning aren’t going to become CEOs.
I was a guinea pig for those learning to give IQ tests. During the first one, my six year old self asked why the car puzzle didn’t have headlights. They talked about that for years. IMO, that wasn’t a sign of intelligence but simple common sense. Yes, the test originated from CA.
BTW, you can learn the tests and create your own IQ score so they mean nothing. Psst, don’t play the game past the 130s.
On top of that, smarter kids are starting to question the value of a grossly overpriced “college experience.”
One interesting tidbit. My alma mater has, for maybe the last decade, has featured black or brown students on their advertising and website. You did see some white women (usually alongside black men), but hardly every any white men. And no blonds. If there was a white man in a picture, he was barely visible at the back of the group. Or “he” was obviously trans.
Well, this year, things changed a lot. On the website, there is a picture of a BLOND white male student talking to a white female student. No others in the picture. I could not believe it. You could have knocked me over with a feather.
Of course, it could have SOMETHING to do with plummeting enrollment and revenue. It seems that WHATEVER they were doing was not working. Imagine that?
My senior year in college, back in the 70s, they brought in a bunch of Iranian students. The students made it very plain they did not want to be here. Everyone was graded on the bell curve... yeah, you know where this is going. There was an unspoken rule these foreigners didn’t have to attend class or do anything but scowl if they did happen to warm a desk but were guaranteed an A.
Funny how that worked out. Your plumber sporting a butt crack has steady work and makes much more an hour than many college educated.
An IQ test at that age would reflect a knowledge base. Public education being what it is, I’m not surprised the scores are lower. Kids aren’t even being taught the basics anymore. Uninformed, therefore, dumb as a box of rocks.
Those are selected and/or scripted, but are absolutely hilarious and sad at the same time. Jay Leno was doing the same 30 years ago. Candid Camera was all the rage in the 50s.
True- Some college grads do make good $$- but many end up not working because of saturated markets in their fields- a lot of them won’t take jobs unless they pay really big too- so they go without jobs lol- I have a relative like that- could work for really decent money by anyone’s standards, but nope- they are too important to ‘settle’ for less than they think they are worth- meanwhile- the blue collar folks in the family are all working, saving, have a nest egg- and doing pretty well- some are quite well off- enjoyed their work- and readty to retire now-
I checked my alma mater about 10 years ago and it had gone from solid conservative to all wokey dokey. I’d been afraid to look until your post. Whew, it looks normal again. Well, they have added some European sports but didn’t see anyone with a green crayon. Such a relief.
That would be interesting.
The tests themselves, generally give three scores. A verbal IQ, a Nonverbal IQ and a Full Scale or global measure. The verbal measure generally is highly correlated with academic success as well as income levels. Verbal IQs involve verbal reason, verbal comprehension, and other verbal processing skills. Nonverbal reasoning generally involves analyzing patterns and how they change and predicting based on the pattern. The tests themselves all involve using verbal and nonverbal skills as well as visual processing, auditory processing, memory, processing speed to solve problems. Despite what detractors say, they are some of the most validated scientific instruments around.
Generally, by age 12 the scores are highly stable and do not change. Exquisite verbal stimulation and processing withprecise language skills to very young infants by parents will maximize IQ. Ghetto moms who are 14 having kids and worried more about clubbing, getting their nails done and leaving their kids with whoever severely negatively impact their kids overall intelligence potential. You can maximize what nature gives them or damage their potential
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