Higher IQ

[Jenny A]

As some of you may have noticed I've had other threads talking about intelligence, the malleability of it etc because I am geniunely interested in it, I'd prefer not have any comments about how I shouldn't worry about this, how I should think less about this and do my best etc. This thread is not because I want to compare myself. I'm simply interested in how brains work differently, what are the signs, in what way they are different etc.

Now to the question; are there any members here with an or any members who know someone with a higher IQ of >120? If so:
1) How did you fare academically?
2) How fast did you learn a new concept?
3) Did you have to study much outside of school?
4) What was difficult for you to learn and what wasn't?
5) How did it feel being around people that had it a bit more difficult to learn new concepts, remember things, solve problems etc
6) When you solve a problem in let's say mathematics (you can use another example) what is your approach and thought process when solving it?
7) How was your experience when learning a new language? Did it come to you easily?

Personally I believe someone with a higher IQ has a much better and much more efficient thought process combined with a more powerful subconscious (pattern recognition, memory and such is very important too).

First of all, IQ tests evaluate a number of specific skills but ignore others. People who correctly apply logic to abstract propositions, easily find patterns in number sequences, can rotate shapes in their heads, and unscramble words do well on IQ tests. With the exception of the later, which I do only moderately well, I excell at those tasks. Consequently I have an IQ over 130. But with the exception of remembering concepts, I don't have a particularly good long term memory. My short term memory ain't that great either. I spell badly. I don't proof so well. I'm not particularly good at adding numbers in my head. And while I learn to read and write them fairly well, and learn their grammar easily, I positively suck at learning to speak and worse yet hear foreign languages. I'm dyslexic too. On the other hand I get no credit on IQ tests for being able to read novels and history at about a hundred pages and hour. So that high IQ implies some things I simply cannot live up to but misses one of my greatest academic assets.

So, on to your questions:

1) How did you fare academically?

Poorly in grade school, fair in high school, well in college, very well in law school. Less emphasis on adding and spelling plus the advent of the PC made all the difference.

2) How fast did you learn a new concept?

Easily. I often figure them out ahead of a teacher or instructions materials.

3) Did you have to study much outside of school?

Nope.

4) What was difficult for you to learn and what wasn't?

Language and brute force memorization were hard, everything else was pretty easy.

5) How did it feel being around people that had it a bit more difficult to learn new concepts, remember things, solve problems etc.

Frustrating.

6) When you solve a problem in let's say mathematics (you can use another example) what is your approach and thought process when solving it?

Depends on the problem. Often I just see the answer and the work is in figuring out why it's right.

7) How was your experience when learning a new language? Did it come to you easily?

Awful. See above.