Background. According to a widespread belief, the average IQ of university students is 115 to 130 IQ points, that is, substantially higher than the average IQ of the general population (M = 100, SD =15). We traced the origin of this belief to obsolete intelligence data collected in 1940s and 1950s when university education was the privilege of a few. Examination of more recent IQ data indicate that IQ of university students and university graduates dropped to the average of the general population. The decline in students' IQ is a necessary consequence of increasing educational attainment over the last 80 years. Today, graduating from university is more common than completing high school in the 1940s. Method. We conducted a meta-analysis of the mean IQ scores of college and university students samples tested with Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale between 1939 and 2022. Results. The results show that the average IQ of undergraduate students today is a mere 102 IQ points and declined by approximately 0.2 IQ points per year. The students' IQ also varies substantially across universities and is correlated with the selectivity of universities (measured by average SAT scores of admitted students). Discussion. These findings have wide-ranging implications. First, universities and professors need to realize that students are no longer extraordinary but merely average, and have to adjust curricula and academic standards. Second, employers can no longer rely on applicants with univer...
  • RickyWars1
    6·
    10 months ago

    First, universities and professors need to realize that students are no longer extraordinary but merely average, and have to adjust curricula and academic standards

    While I already find this article a bit strange, as I’m not sure of the value of an IQ test as an intelligence indicator, I find this a very particularly strange take. Why should curricula be watered down because (allegedly due to lower IQ) students can no longer keep up?

    Anyways totally outside my field here (Electrical Engineering) so feel free to ignore.

  • takeda@lemmy.world
    41·
    10 months ago
    1. the IQ test was meant to detect developmental delays. If you score above 100 it doesn’t mean much, except that you are good at IQ test. This is why the whole MENSA organization is just people blowing each other.
    2. the way universities work (or at least mine did) is that not everyone graduates and the difficulty is based on your peers. All classes are graded on bell curve and you only get good grades if you are better than average. This is why degree has a value. Watering things down will only water down value of the degree.