IQ determines mobility. I am in the late Autumn of my life, age 72, recovering from a total right hip surgery 5 weeks ago and with nothing to do except PT and rest. Having time to think about my successes and failures in life and that of my friends: IQ was the key.

I got into the Ivy League solely on the basis of my Test Scores. One of the deans told me so. My doctorate and post docs (2) had nothing to do with pull or family status nor did those I was in school with except for a few marginal students who had legacy admissions. While there I went to school with two individuals who now have hard science Nobel prizes. One I knew really well. He was just bright, hardworking and personable. He lucked out in his research something other friends of mine with similar talents didn’t. I recall three of the super driven talented super bright of my friends who didn’t succeed to the top level but did reasonably well in life. All were from middle class backgrounds and were the first in their family’s to get into an Ivy League University. I knew them quite well and all three made the jump by smashing their SATs and GREs, as I did. I was the first of my clan to get through college. My one grand father was a machinist and my other was a porcelain bathtub craftsman imported from Germany before world war one by American Standard.

I am sure family history may be important but IQ is more important. Check out the “IQ-Trapper” on GOOGLE.

Dan Kurt