So I just got back my IQ score and diagnosis and I'm sad

[MusicLovingAtheist]

My parents payed for a comprehensive evaluation of my IQ, mental diagnosis, ability to pay attention, and some irrelevant school stuff.

Why on earth did your parents do that in the first place?

I don't what to play armchair freud here, but very important factors are:
What is suggested to you and expected of you by your surroundings (family...) as far your abilities is concerned? Have they kind of pigeon-holed you already as being not very smart, or not good enough? Do they expect/pressure you to achieve more than you do academically?
All of those are hurtful and may erode your self-confidence and even affect your test performance negatively.

Studies find that people perform better on tests after they have been suggested that they are good at it. Conversely, pressure can definitely negatively affect test scores, including IQ tests.
This has for example been found to be an effect for women in stem fields.

As I just said, it was required for my college.

[Alex K]

As I just said, it was required for my college.

I saw, ok.
That strikes me as unusual... don't they usually content themselves with SATs and such things? I'm of course assuming you're USian.

[Neo-Scholastic]

Don't sweat it. I have a high IQ and I'm still a loser.

[MusicLovingAtheist]

As I just said, it was required for my college.

I saw, ok.
That strikes me as unusual... don't they usually content themselves with SATs and such things? I'm of course assuming you're USian.

The college has a program that requires this information. The test recommended that I get less work, extended time on tests and a quiet place to take them, priority registration, a single room if living in dorms, a mentor to meet with on a regular basis on assignments, preferential seating, etc. So the goal of taking the test was to get stuff like this for school. My parents weren't thrilled about having me take it either, neither me nor my parents like labels. The test also gave certain therapy and medication recommendations as well as strategies for studying at school. There was an 11 page report that was printed out and given to me and my parents too which was interesting to read.

[DramaQueen]

At least they didn't do a religious test

[paulpablo]

I know plenty of people from my school who were supposedly quite clever got much worse jobs than those who had the reputation of being pretty stupid.

That's not really saying much though because a lot of those intelligent people got some girls pregnant, got unemployed and so on.

There's too many variables to worry about in life, you should just be glad you don't have a terminal illness and try hard in whatever you do while you can.

[Alex K]

The test also gave certain therapy and medication recommendations as well as strategies for studying at school.

- Wow - therapy and medication recommendations? That sounds horribly irresponsible and creepy unless it was done by a psychiatrist who has experience treating you, and you are properly diagnosed with an actual disorder which would warrant such an intervention. So this was not a standard test which this college requires to take everyone, no?

[Lemonvariable72]

My parents payed for a comprehensive evaluation of my IQ, mental diagnosis, ability to pay attention, and some irrelevant school stuff.

I'm upset because my IQ is 108. No one ever did anything great with an IQ of 108. It's average. I might as well just be working in construction or something (I hate construction). Hell, I'm probably not even smart enough to be a manager at a food industry (I hate food industry).

I was also diagnosed with an 80% chance of autism. They said my eye contact was bad, my interests are limited, and tend to lecture on specific subjects but I catch myself.

Then they told me that I have trouble paying attention which I don't care about. I just feel like I can pay attention to stuff just fine if it's interesting to me, but they had me take a test where they had me click a mouse every time a letter appeared on a screen and to avoid clicking on the letter X and the test went on for like 15 minutes. It was exhausting.

So basically I'm socially awkward, dumb, have difficulty paying attention. It just makes me sad.

IQ means precisely fucking shit. Ever hear of Richard Cage? Well I have a interesting story for you. Back the 1930 Louis termin. Louis was one of the pioneers behind IQ testing, and he wrote to every 5th grade teacher in the US asking for them send their brightest students for testing. He only accepted the top scoring students for this study that involved tracking these student and their achievements throughout their lives ( Its still going). However it is notable that Richard did not make the cut. But he did go on to invent the solid state transistor at bell labs. Intact the rejected pool of people went on to win more nobel prizes then the accepted pool did.

[pocaracas]

My parents payed for a comprehensive evaluation of my IQ, mental diagnosis, ability to pay attention, and some irrelevant school stuff.

I'm upset because my IQ is 108. No one ever did anything great with an IQ of 108. It's average. I might as well just be working in construction or something (I hate construction). Hell, I'm probably not even smart enough to be a manager at a food industry (I hate food industry).

I was also diagnosed with an 80% chance of autism. They said my eye contact was bad, my interests are limited, and tend to lecture on specific subjects but I catch myself.

Then they told me that I have trouble paying attention which I don't care about. I just feel like I can pay attention to stuff just fine if it's interesting to me, but they had me take a test where they had me click a mouse every time a letter appeared on a screen and to avoid clicking on the letter X and the test went on for like 15 minutes. It was exhausting.

So basically I'm socially awkward, dumb, have difficulty paying attention. It just makes me sad.

Forget about IQ.
Now, that autism and attention detail... you need to find something you like to do... something marketable... and perfect your skillz on that... then you can do it for the rest of your life, be happy about it, never lose focus of your job and just be another member of society.

As for the college entrance... it seems you get a sweet deal out of it. Tons of goodies, just for being you, that other "normal" people don't get. Make the best of them!

[Ben Davis]

The test recommended that I get less work, extended time on tests and a quiet place to take them, priority registration, a single room if living in dorms, a mentor to meet with on a regular basis on assignments...

So the upshot is that you'll get the type of educative support which the College should be providing anyway? I'd say that's a win!