What More Do I Have To Do To Be Considered "gifted?" Maybe a gifted student/genius could tell me what to do?

[CinnamorollTK 0]

I was watching television moments ago to find out that a local 11-year-old girl is now considered gifted because she wrote a book of 136 pages and can test in the 90th percentile. This bothers me because my #1 dream is to be considered gifted. She has an IQ of 135.
Throughout the years, I have taken IQ tests online and done what I can to try and get the opportunity to take the test to qualify as a gifted student/person. Most of the time, I've tested in the 90th or above percentile on standardized tests and have had a 4.0 GPA for the past few years. I've owned my own profitable business, but shut it down since it wasn't making any sort of money and was at an all-time low. My IQ was tested at anywhere from 126-139 depending on the test. I'm even in the National Society of High School Scholars and have been invited to several events - one being an invitation-only event to debate. Currently I am 18-years-old.
My question is what more do I have to do to get the chance to be a state-certified gifted student/genius? What am I lacking and how can I get what I'm missing?

Keep in mind I am happy for all gifted students and don't wish that they would lost their title so that I could take their place.

Edited February 21, 2007 by CinnamorollTK (see edit history)

[glenstein 0]

I was watching television moments ago to find out that a local 11-year-old girl is now considered gifted because she wrote a book of 136 pages and can test in the 90th percentile. This bothers me because my #1 dream is to be considered gifted. She has an IQ of 135.

Throughout the years, I have taken IQ tests online and done what I can to try and get the opportunity to take the test to qualify as a gifted student/person. Most of the time, I've tested in the 90th or above percentile on standardized tests and have had a 4.0 GPA for the past few years. I've owned my own profitable business, but shut it down since it wasn't making any sort of money and was at an all-time low. My IQ was tested at anywhere from 126-139 depending on the test. I'm even in the National Society of High School Scholars and have been invited to several events - one being an invitation-only event to debate. Currently I am 18-years-old.

My question is what more do I have to do to get the chance to be a state-certified gifted student/genius? What am I lacking and how can I get what I'm missing?

 

Keep in mind I am happy for all gifted students and don't wish that they would lost their title so that I could take their place.

It's been used in different ways. I've had the label thrown on me before (and yes, I've scored 124 on a trustworthy test, a year removed from education and with no preparation), and there is a common every dayish sense that means "everyone is gifted in their own way" or a slightly higher threshold that is nonetheless similar, representing something of a conversational or athletic knack for excellence in a given field... but the kind of "excellence" that still admits members to its club by the multitudes. Then there is gifted- like being able to re-draw in the entire city of London after one brief helicopter ride over it or memorize a totally random ten-thousand long sequence of numbers (I mention those because there actually exist a person capable of each of those)

 

There is nothing gifted however, in an urge to appeal to the community in hopes that someone will call you gifted, as if it would represent something meaningful. You sound smart and dedicated, which is great, and it will be meaningful in and of itself regardless of whether it gets the title "gifted", and either way the goal is to keep on keeping on, challenging and expanding on what you've done for yourself regardless and to know greatness by your own direct interaction with it. But the public at large is not a trustworthy arbiter of who is and isn't gifted and whenever they use the term, there will always be a major sense in which they miss the point by using it.

 

I'm going to guess that you didn't actually mean that your #1 dream isn't to be considered gifted, but instead to actually attain whatever is on that plateau. But I've got to say right now that even that perspective gives to much credit to the arbitrary definition of "gifted" already. It sounds obvious but it's a problem which will sneak attack you from every unexpected direction.

 

I'm a bit older and (dare I say?) more wordly acquainted than you, but not a savagely ignorant and heartless meaningless adult, so I'm still awake enough to sympathize with your sentiment but also to offer some advice. Totally, completely, fully, drop every pretension of concern for outside accolades and arbitrary recognition. Are you smart? Yes. But there it rests. Don't get hung up on that point or you'll lose everything.

 

Instead get really, ridiculously specific about what you already think this greatness is that you want, take control of the very definition of "gifted" (if you are gifted, would anyone really need to tell you?) stay active, curious, overwhelmed by all your endeavors and remain considerate and critical and self challenging-- a portrait of what is right and want you want will inevitably start coming together. And read an Ayn Rand book but don't take it too seriously.

 

So, are you gifted? Yes. Yes you are. Really. But you already know that. Don't take it from me, take it from yourself. More importantly, though, is to subordinate that giftedness of yours to the pursuit of something meaningful that you truly care about.

Edited February 22, 2007 by glenstein (see edit history)

[FolkRockFan 0]

What is more important to you: your own knowledge of your intelligence, or making sure that everybody else knows all about it?If you're thinking of college: believe me, you're fine. Your GPA and extracurricular achievements will really put you on top with the admissions committee. They aren't going to need a stack of paper pronouncing your brilliance. You probably won't have to worry too much about financial aid either.So...don't worry too much about what other think. Being known as "gifted" won't make you any more or less intelligent, so try focusing on what you'd like to achieve in your life instead of how you'd like others to see you.

[zyzzyvette 0]

Who says you aren't considered gifted? 140 IQ is the "genius" line if you're using just that as an indicator, but usually IQ doesn't mean all that much, especially when its just a difference of 10 points. You say yourself that you've been invited to various scholarly events; obviously the organizers thought highly enough of you to invite you, and with your achievements its not too surprising. Is there some sort of benefit to being considered an "officially" gifted person if the academic community recognizes you as such already? I'm not from the US, and I don't believe we have anything like this up here... seems sort of pointless, actually. Some people manage to get themselves into Mensa, but then what do you do? Keep paying fees for the privilege of being in their little club?Results are way more important than labels, and it seems you're doing just fine in the former department.

[TypoMage 0]

Maybe it is because she is eleven or something like that. I really do not have a clue.

[Watermonkey 0]

I think that you're gifted. Does that make you feel better? I've never really understood the need for recognition, but if that's your thing, apply to MENSA or whatever they're called. Yvette talked about it. You could join their silly club and go to silly events and stand around and talk about theoretical quantum physics or something, pretending to be interested in the driest subject matter while tossing back as many vodkas as possible in the time you endure your "peers". Would be a great place to go to network, or would everyone there expect you to already be in a secure profession, not needing to network. You could brag about your two-year-old who gets all the Jeopardy questions right every night and is going to be the next pre-teen champion. Or you could focus on what matters to you most instead of worrying about what the rest of the world thinks of you...

[CinnamorollTK 0]

What is more important to you: your own knowledge of your intelligence, or making sure that everybody else knows all about it?
If you're thinking of college: believe me, you're fine. Your GPA and extracurricular achievements will really put you on top with the admissions committee. They aren't going to need a stack of paper pronouncing your brilliance. You probably won't have to worry too much about financial aid either.

So...don't worry too much about what other think. Being known as "gifted" won't make you any more or less intelligent, so try focusing on what you'd like to achieve in your life instead of how you'd like others to see you.

I'd prefer to be intelligent but part of me wants to have some sort of trophy or award "proving" that I'm a genius. (I wouldn't have it on display. It would seem too show-offy.)

As for college, I've read that students need high grades, high SAT and ACT scores, many accomplishments like being a missionary or saving a whale, and many after-school activities to even be considered. (This is why I'm applying at a local community college that accepts everyone.)

I don't worry about what others think. I worry about what I think of myself and I'll think of myself as dirt until I get that genius label (which I am still working at).

I've never really understood the need for recognition, but if that's your thing, apply to MENSA or whatever they're called.

My IQ isn't high enough. Plus, it costs $52 a year to be a member. (I did get a chance to be in the International High IQ Society [top 5%] but it cost around $40, which is also too much.)

[Yratorm, LightMage 0]

I think you're gifted. If that counts.

 

Bear in mind that some of the greatest minds that ever lived were not fully appreciated in their lifetimes - perhaps because they were ahead of their times!!

 

__________________

If I were you I wouldn't worry too much about IQ tests, they aren't all that accurate indicators of intelligence. A friend of mine and I (he's a quantum physicist) max them all the time, but we don't really consider that an indicator of our intelligence at all.

 

What we consider an indicator of intelligence is a person's ability to create, understand and manipulate ideas.

 

And I'm not talking about ideas only in the reaches of theoretical physics or science. A great poem is full of great thoughts and great ideas. Or a great book.

 

 

Because, you see, intelligence isn't just being a great mathematician or a scientist or a great writer.. it's being able to look up at the stars in wonder; to dream, to work to achieve those dreams; to look triumph and disaster in the eye and know that they are both illusions..

 

Intelligence is to be able to see this world for what it is - a speck of dust on the edge of a single galaxy; and knowing that, to then try to plot a significant future for an insignificant race on an insignificant planet.

 

Earth is insignificant, so what does it matter what it's people think of you?

 

__________________

But time and space themselves bow before human thought - our thoughts can cross the vastness of space, the aeons of time. And that IS significant.

 

What others think of you is nothing - what matters are the thoughts of your very soul.

What you think of, what you dream of, and what you do with those thoughts and those dreams.. that is everything!!