Are people who got into Princeton and MIT "naturally smart" ?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
21

<p>you have all kinds of people at a college. You’ll have some geniuses who made minimal effort in high school, and you’ll have some people who worked their asses off in high school. Still, it might not be a good idea to go to the most prestigious college you get into if you had to work extremely hard in high school. My friend at Yale only sleeps 4-6 hours a day and doesn’t party at all (stereotypical asian work ethic), and still can’t get any A’s…</p>

22

<p>Defiantly not. Big stereotype in fact. Most people get into those schools because of connections (legacy anyone), mom or dad donated cash, have money, worked hard, or had amazing ECs. Not everyone in these elite schools are naturally smart, just lucky.</p>

23

<p>Presumably, the vast majority of students at Princeton and MIT are well above average in intelligence.</p>

24

<p>^^Defiantly not?</p>

<p>I now have two examples for this thread! (Since my dear friend, whom I love and adore and find amazing, especially in terms of intelligence and being adorably awesome, but who, if I’m more objective than I’d like to be, is probably, like most people, not actually a genius is going to P-ton).</p>

25

<p>^yes defiantly not. I doubt that every person in Princeton is smarter then someone that goes to a community college.</p>

26

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<p>She was noting your incorrect spelling: “definitely” vs. “defiantly.” Also, although your statement is surely correct, the average community college student is quite a bit less intelligent than the average Princeton student.</p>

27

<p>^ Yuppers .</p>

28

<p>^^Oh, but I thought he meant “defiantly not”.</p>

29

<p>i meant definitely not, small error and thanks for noticing that.</p>

30

<p>A lot are, some aren’t. I feel safe saying that the average I.Q. at MIT is notably higher than your average community college or state school.</p>

31

<p>The term natural could be defined in a number of different ways. For example, children of higher-income families might be more exposed to words and I think I saw a study that showed they heard 1000 more words in a day, which would lead people into believing they’re naturally intelligent, when it was just their environment.</p>

32

<p>^ Agreed. I hardly believe people are really naturally smart - it’s just the way they are brought up. 99% of time.</p>

33

<p>I would posit that those earning an acceptance to either of the schools in question are unnaturally smart, in comparison to the general populace.</p>