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Is my IQ high enough to do A levels?

I have always intended to go to college when I finish school, but my parents recently had my IQ professionally tested and my result has raised doubts in my mind about whether it's really the right path for me. I scored just 106, barely above average (100), which doesn't seem high enough to be taking advanced courses in academic subjects to me. I'm thinking perhaps I would be better off taking a more vocational course or maybe doing an apprenticeship? Any advice would be much appreciated, thank you.

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Original post by hungryghost
I have always intended to go to college when I finish school, but my parents recently had my IQ professionally tested and my result has raised doubts in my mind about whether it's really the right path for me. I scored just 106, barely above average (100), which doesn't seem high enough to be taking advanced courses in academic subjects to me. I'm thinking perhaps I would be better off taking a more vocational course or maybe doing an apprenticeship? Any advice would be much appreciated, thank you.


Can't tell whether this is a troll or not but what are your GCSE grades?
Reply 2
Hi. No, I'm not a troll. I haven't finished my GCSEs yet, I'm in year 11.
Original post by hungryghost
Hi. No, I'm not a troll. I haven't finished my GCSEs yet, I'm in year 11.


Okay. What are your predicted grades?
Reply 4
Mostly Bs and Cs, then 1 A and a couple of Ds.
Original post by hungryghost
Mostly Bs and Cs, then 1 A and a couple of Ds.


As long as the B and the A are in the subjects you want to do at A-Level I see no reason you couldn't achieve B's or A's. People on here that have got B's at GCSE Maths then went on to get A's overall at a-level after a lot of hard work. You would have to work hard though
Reply 6
IQ is mostly determined by nature, not nurture. In my experience, hard work is more important than natural intelligence for many things, including A Levels.

If you work hard enough then you can get good grades, regardless of your inherited level of intelligence.
Reply 7
Don't let a silly little test determine whether or not you should do A levels.
If you work really hard and try your best, you can do well in A levels and achieve great results.
Reply 8
They aren't though :frown: I'm predicted an A in Business Studies and a B French, but only Cs in science and IT and I was hoping to do Biology, Chemistry and Computing at A Level.
Reply 9
Original post by hungryghost
They aren't though :frown: I'm predicted an A in Business Studies and a B French, but only Cs in science and IT and I was hoping to do Biology, Chemistry and Computing at A Level.


There are still several months left before your GCSE exams. If you work extremely hard you can push Cs up to Bs, As, or even A*s.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by hungryghost
They aren't though :frown: I'm predicted an A in Business Studies and a B French, but only Cs in science and IT and I was hoping to do Biology, Chemistry and Computing at A Level.


Ah. Right.

How are you on your maths? I'm not sure about Computing but from speaking from my own personal experience studying Biology and Chemistry a-level, biology requires a lot of memorisation and some maths but is mostly wordy and interpreting data such as graphs. Chemistry does get quite mathsy. Not as much as physics but if you hate maths Chemistry is going to be a bit of a drag for you.
Reply 11
Um I'm okay with most of maths I think (I'm predicted a C in that also). I do find the calculus stuff a bit tricky, but I wouldn't say I hate it.
Reply 12
You'll be fine, just do the work...
Original post by hungryghost
Um I'm okay with most of maths I think (I'm predicted a C in that also). I do find the calculus stuff a bit tricky, but I wouldn't say I hate it.


As long as you get the grades your sixth form needs for admission I can't see you having any problems as long as you work hard to be fair. IQ tests are stupid anyway.
Reply 14
Original post by h3110
There are still several months left before your GCSE exams. If you work extremely hard you can push Cs up to Bs, As, or even A*s.


Thank you for your encouragement, but what I'm really asking is whether my IQ of 106 indicates a high enough level of natural intellectual ability for me to successfully pursue an academic career path, or whether I'd be better suited to a vocational route.
Don't let an IQ test stop you from giving A-levels a shot.

My IQ is 114. I got AAB at A-level and study Biology at York. IQ does not determine how well you do in school, which is mostly a memory game. Just go for it. If it's not for you after 6 months or something you can always drop out and take a different route :smile: Just work hard, OP. You can do it! :biggrin:
Reply 16
If IQ was very important, the top universities would simple do IQ tests to select candidates. The fact that they don't shows that success is more determined by a range of other factors, particularly work ethic. My sister once took an IQ-type test at school that predicted GCSE grades at school. It predicted that she would get a B in French - one of her favourite subjects. In the end, she got 11 A*s at GCSE overall, with a very high A* in French.

Please don't use IQ as an excuse for you not doing well. If you don't do well, it will mainly be because of lack of effort and commitment. Just assume that the test was inaccurate and move on.
Don't read too much into the IQ test.

Do you feel you can do A Levels?
Original post by hungryghost
Thank you for your encouragement, but what I'm really asking is whether my IQ of 106 indicates a high enough level of natural intellectual ability for me to successfully pursue an academic career path, or whether I'd be better suited to a vocational route.


Forget about those numbers, you are above average and that is fine. If we made a list of everything that was important, your IQ number would probably rank somewhere in the hundreds.
Reply 19
Original post by hungryghost
I have always intended to go to college when I finish school, but my parents recently had my IQ professionally tested and my result has raised doubts in my mind about whether it's really the right path for me. I scored just 106, barely above average (100), which doesn't seem high enough to be taking advanced courses in academic subjects to me. I'm thinking perhaps I would be better off taking a more vocational course or maybe doing an apprenticeship? Any advice would be much appreciated, thank you.


Look, if you work hard and you put the effort in you will be fine. If you **** about and don't bother you won't do fine. You will only get out what you put in.

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