5 Problems with Only Measuring IQ

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Why True Giftedness Is Bigger Than a Number

When people hear the word gifted, one image often comes to mind: a child acing tests, reading at age 3, or solving math problems far beyond their grade level. And yes, some gifted kids look like that.

But most don’t.

Giftedness is complex. It’s not always loud. And it definitely can’t be measured by a single number.

Let’s talk about IQ, the tool most commonly used to label someone as “gifted,” and why it’s far from the whole story.

What Is IQ, Really?

IQ (short for Intelligence Quotient) is a score from a standardized test that’s supposed to measure human intelligence. The average score is set at 100. Most people fall between 85 and 115.

Schools often use these scores to decide who gets into gifted programs. But IQ tests measure only a slice of intelligence—and it’s a narrow one.

1. IQ Doesn’t Measure the Whole Child

IQ tests are great at assessing certain brain-based skills like logic, memory, and verbal ability. But what about creativity? Or leadership? What about your child’s ability to inspire others, solve real-world problems, or bounce back after failure?

Those don’t show up on an IQ test. But they matter just as much, if not more.

In fact, research shows intelligence is multifaceted. One major study looked at 12 different cognitive abilities and found no single test could capture it all.

2. IQ Scores Aren’t Fixed

Especially in young children, IQ scores can change dramatically. A 4-year-old may not test as gifted, only to leap ahead by age 9. Or the reverse may happen. Some kids test high once, then drop when anxiety, environment, or even just a bad testing day gets in the way.

Worse yet? Different IQ tests can give wildly different results. The same child might score 120 on one test and 140 on another. That’s a 20-point difference—which could mean the difference between acceptance and rejection from a gifted program.

3. Rigid IQ Cutoffs Miss Too Many Brilliant Kids

Some of the most creative, deeply feeling, outside-the-box thinkers don’t do well on standardized tests. They may overthink the questions. Or feel anxious. Or simply struggle to sit still.

These kids often get left out of gifted programs not because they lack potential, but because the system wasn’t built for them.

Worse still, kids who don’t “make the cut” may internalize the idea that they’re not smart, not talented, and not capable. That label can stick for years, or for life.

4. IQ Doesn’t Predict Success the Way You Might Think

Yes, IQ can predict school grades. And yes, it loosely correlates with job status. But when it comes to life success—happiness, leadership, innovation, income—the story changes.

One of the most famous studies of gifted children (The Terman Study) followed kids with genius-level IQs. Many did well, but not all. In fact, many kids who were just below the gifted cutoff went on to outperform those with higher IQs.

What made the difference? Perseverance. Grit. Self-discipline. Motivation. Not test scores.

5. Emotional and Social Intelligence Matter More Than Ever

In today’s world, being able to collaborate, adapt, and lead matters just as much as being able to ace an exam.

Studies show that emotional intelligence (EQ)—empathy, self-awareness, and social skills—predicts workplace success even more than IQ. In fact, 83% of employers say EQ is more important than IQ when hiring.

We need to raise emotionally gifted kids, not just intellectually gifted ones.

So, What Should Gifted Education Look Like?

At GT, we believe gifted education should reflect the whole child, not just their test scores.

That means recognizing:

• The shy artist who sees the world in color and metaphor
• The leader who rallies classmates to take action
• The teen who invents things for fun and stays up late dreaming big ideas
• The child who questions everything and can’t stop asking “why?”

Giftedness comes in many forms.

Let’s Redefine What It Means to Be Gifted

Final Thoughts: Your Child Is More Than a Number

Whether your child has been identified as “gifted” or not, please know this:

Their gifts are real.
Their potential is vast.
And they deserve a chance to shine.

GiftedTalented.com exists to help you uncover those gifts—whether they show up on a test or not.

Let’s stop reducing brilliance to a number.
Let’s start celebrating giftedness in all its beautiful, unexpected forms.