11+ versus entry exam.....

Ed Syke · Post by **Ed Syke** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 1:52 pm

sj355 wrote:
IQ 174...

MMmmm , IQ 174! For some reason this is a very discredited test at the Uni. Whenever my colleagues hear this test, they produce hissing sounds of indignation (at that point they give the impression of a low IQ mob and they look sooo funny!)

I have tried an IQ test twice and I got 128 and 129 respectively. Apparently this makes me belong in the top 6% of the population (of which planet I am not sure!). My husband has said this can not be in any way the case, although I am indeed a top smart-Alec! Should I start looking for a divorce lawyer?

Now seriously anything above 160 can not be accurately measured

This is correct for adults (161 is actually the maximum possible on the Cattell IIIB test; 148 on this scale is equivalent to 132 on Wechsler, and either would put you into the top 2% of the population), but for children of around 11 or so well over 170 is possible.

Surely no-one would try to get into university using their IQ score? I can imagine UCAS might try to force candidates to declare their parents' IQ, though, and if it is too high they would be penalised!

sj355 · Post by **sj355** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 1:57 pm

In retrospect and to keep things clear & honest, my son was not suited to HABS; it was probably the school that is mostly suited to my character (ferociously academic and competitive, despite being an avid watcher of cartoons and Star Treck!) So the interview may have got it right for both parties concerned!

sj355 · Post by **sj355** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 2:02 pm

Surely no-one would try to get into university using their IQ score? I can imagine UCAS might try to force candidates to declare their parents' IQ, though, and if it is too high they would be penalised!

[

No, no it is not mentioned in an admissions context, but as light entertainment during lunch time and before meetings. I keep bringing it up because it makes my (mostly male) colleagues jump up and down and protest like a bunch of bamboons and I have such a good laugh looking at them! (we shall hide the 129 from my son's UCAS form then, shall we?)

sj355 · Post by **sj355** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 2:17 pm

This is correct for adults (161 is actually the maximum possible on the Cattell IIIB test; 148 on this scale is equivalent to 132 on Wechsler, and either would put you into the top 2% of the population), but for children of around 11 or so well over 170 is possible

Ah, yes this is rather obvious as we go thicker as we grow older, don't we?(I know what you mean, I am just joking!) Personally, I am more worried about the hair and teeth loss stage, as I am obviously well past the stage of the brain loss...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 4:30 pm

To the guest who asked about interviews.

I have a relative (a teacher) who has conducted scholarship interviews for an academically selective, co-ed private school in the London area. Apparently interviewers can spot the kids who have been coached for interview (usually by their prep schools) a mile off. Remember, they may be seeing a whole stream of them in close succession! Near identical, somewhat incredible answers stand out a mile.

Uncoached children who just go in and answer the questions honestly can be a breath of fresh air. A willingness to talk about things that interest them, imagination etc. are what they are looking for. Agree with poster above that if all they do is watch TV it probably isn't a great idea to bring it up though.

For what it's worth, I sent my child in to a general admissions interview totally unprepared and said child won a major scholarship.

sj355 · Post by **sj355** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 5:58 pm

The dirty little secret is that near identical answers are the response to near identical questions of a a beauty contest format: "If you were the prime minister for a day what would you do?" Hence there is no point in blaming it on the kids.

If all they do is watch TV it probably isn't a great idea to bring it up though.

This is so far from the truth about my kid. He watches minimal TV, simply because he does not have the time given that he attends two instead of one school (five hours of Greek school weekly). I am sure that the TV subject came up because he was specifically asked about it. He was not asked about his Greek school, nor about his attendance and perfrormance in the talented and gifted maths classes. I wonder how many of the interviewers on that day are able to write, read and translate full texts from Greek to English, let alone being able to do so at the age of ten! Instead they note: "speaks Greek at home" as a minus point. The little mindness and silliness of it all!
But then what can one expect from 15 mins?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 6:12 pm

I agree. I never had my kids tutored or advised on how to be interviewed and they were offered places, and they watch cartoons. Simpsons, Family Guy, Futurama....One of them wakes with the larks singing and embraces life happily, the other is my dearly beloved, miserable disinterested git.
It is hard to accept rejection and sometimes we will look for any excuse not to have to face the fact, that ours have been rejected. There is rarely a mystery, (other than the fact that we cannot understand why anyone does not admire our children as well as we do) or a conspiracy.
I say that with no snideness or malice, honestly.. we have had our share of crushing rejections and it doesn't feel nice. The trick is in learning to pick yourself up and try another door, not in imagining that 'they' got it wrong. I believe that route leads to bitterness and paranoia.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 6:14 pm

by the way...above post agrees with earlier post by 'guest'

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 8:02 pm

Just to say that independent schools are not necessarily looking for the kids who perform best in the academic tests but ones they feel will make the most of the opportunities at the school and be 'best fit'. For this reason, I think interviewing is a good thing. However, I wouldn't be disappointed in rejection by HABS on this basis; you may have found your son would not have enjoyed it. My son was also rejected several years ago (and was offered places at several other very good London independents) and the interview at HABS completely put him off as compared to the other interviews, it was unfriendly - robotic probably a good word! He was not coached at all for the interviews and I did tell him to be himself. He talked mainly about Warhammer and football!

Dana

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 8:16 pm

When my son was interviewed for a private school the only advice I gave him was not to start talking about computer games! I said that the interviewer would assume that he was a normal 11 year old who played games, but they were the least interesting thing about his personality, so leave it out. If asked about them I told him to mention only strategy games, not the mindless ones!

Total coaching time: 3 minutes.

The interviewer said afterwards that it had been great fun, a really enjoyable half hour. The advice to be natural is exactly right in my opinion.