Is a college degree a measure of intelligence?

1. 73

   PaulStaley1posted 13 years ago

   Is a college degree a measure of intelligence?
   
   I don't have a degree.  Because of that I think I have a chip on my shoulder.  I see so many people out there with degrees that are just plain morons.  I think, nowadays more then ever,  it is more about money, and showing your ability to complete a goal then an actual learning experience.

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2. 67

   NathanielZhuposted 13 years ago

   Is George W. Bush Intelligent?
   - No
   
   Is the UCLA Racist girl intelligent?
   - No
   There are people who graduated from the best colleges and still believe the earth is flat.
   
   A degree is merely a political statement.
   A degree is in no way in the least a measure of intellegance. It is merely a measure of how good we are at doing what the teacher says - THAT'S IT. It says nothing about our individualistic capabilities or our potentials outside of a teacher's instructions.
   
   Bill Gates didn't graduate college, yet he is one of the smartest and most successful man alive.

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   1. 84

      gmwilliamsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Bush has an IQ of 125 which is classified as above average.    Yes, Bill Gates did not graduate college but successful.   He had contacts to help him be thus!

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3. 73

   PaulStaley1posted 13 years ago

   HA! Bush was exactly the example I was thinking of.  As a fledgling writer, I actually think it might work to my advantage being, "uneducated."  It is kind of fun to say you are a student of the world!

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4. 60

   duffsmomposted 13 years ago

   I think it is more a measure of being able to stick with it long enough to get the degree.  Many of us have to start living right after high school and don't have the time or money to attend college.
   
   I'm not saying that college educated people aren't intelligent but from those I know with degrees, it is not necessarily the top factor.
   
   I work for a wonderful woman with a Masters Degree.  I am constantly (and I know I shouldn't) correcting her grammar and spelling in her notes--things, that to me, are common sense.
   
   I think in generations past, it might have been a sign of intellect--but nowadays not always.

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5. 62

   freecampingaussieposted 13 years ago

   Don't feel bad about not having one . I left school at 14 yet had good jobs , was even a manager of storage units ! Some that have degrees ( not all )+don't know much about living in the real world and are stuffy, boring & think they are the best because of it .
   Prefer a down to earth guy any day than a stuffy one with a degree !

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6. 48

   nancywaldenposted 13 years ago

   A college education does not guarantee intelligence. You have no reason to feel less capable than a college graduate. However, college degrees ( http://www.collegeamerica.edu/ ) do give people some leverage and very often, those with college degrees are favored over those without, irrespective of intelligence or capability. You can make it without one but it will definitely be harder.

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7. 60

   days leaperposted 13 years ago

   It does have advantages.  Not just academic.  After studying part of a degree I now understand more of that subject whenever it comes up.  Am more able to leave people with the impression I'm not totally thick.
   I wouldn't say intelligence is increased so much.  Though knowledge in a particular field of study is definitely benefitted.  And confidence that I can do something -Other situations like health permitting.
   Only consuder it, if it is a subject you like, won't break the bank, and you've completed a course that Prepares you for UNI.  Like an Access to HE course (Higher Education).
   Good Luck.

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8. 59

   your cybersisterposted 13 years ago

   I don't think that having a college degree proves your intelligence - it is more a testimony to one's perseverance and ability to afford to attend, as well as one's desire to have the degree.  I have met many intelligent people with and without degrees and have also met not so intelligent ones with and without them.  I do believe that earning a college degree does give you a chance to broaden your base of knowledge in a way that you would not through just life experiences.
   
   For your own sake, take the chip off of your shoulder. If you are not interested in earning a college degree stop worrying about not having one and if you want one find a way to work toward one.  With all the community colleges and on line classes out there nearly anyone can get started on a formal education if they want to have one.

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9. 57

   Larry Geeposted 13 years ago

   I believe it to be more often than not, a mark of priviledge. Of course, I believe education can broaden your depth of understanding of the subject you study, and can help a naturally-intelligent person become analytical, for example. I don't, however, believe it to be an indicator of intelligence. I believe intelligent people can easily achieve a colledge degree, but just as likely, determined and hardworking people can too.

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10. 73

    ImYoungAtHeartposted 13 years ago

    I think college furthers your intelligence but many people are intelligent whether or not they attend college. Other people gain intelligence just by traveling, some by reading lots of books and others by climbing the career ladder. As long as a person continues to better himself learning new things through out their life, that's whats important.

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11. 71

    The Blagsmithposted 13 years ago

    I have worked in a commune that operated as a college at the weekends. The college also encouraged its visitors to help wash dishes and this was the case when there was a Mensa conference there. Some of the greatest brains spent a lot of time trying to work out what would be the fastest way of transferring the content of a bigger bottle of washing up liquid into a smaller and more practicable smaller bottle. The fact is the time they spent thinking would have been better spent doing.
    
    I also have spent much of my life's employment in residential homes helping to empower those with disabilities. One young lad who had cerebral palsy was labelled a moron at birth. However, he was very good at getting people to do things for him. This young person would have been capable of getting the Mensa people running around in circles - so who is indeed more intelligent. Another factor that has become more important is the way that intelligence is now being identified. There are many forms of it.
    
    The young person who I have mentioned may have been labelled moron because he was believed to lack a certain form of intelligence. However, socially he possessed this in abundance

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12. 79

    daskittlez69posted 13 years ago

    hardly, a college degree means you could follow the system for 4 years.  I have friends with PHD's that are bartending.

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13. 75

    Zubair Ahmedposted 13 years ago

    Your wright college degrees don't mean a someone is intelligent, especially these days where you can get a degree in almost anything.

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14. 60

    Degridingposted 13 years ago

    A degree offers entry into some clubs that might otherwise be off limits, but it has nothing to do with intelligence.  Intelligence is born out of an inquisitive nature and a passion for learning.  If you have those attributes, the lack of a degree is insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

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15. 64

    funmontrealgirlposted 13 years ago

    I say absolutely no.
    
    I know too many people who drank and partied thru college and have far less intelligence than some of my hard working friends who could not afford.
    
    I say it is definitely a positive accomplishment, but not a measure of intelligence by any means.

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16. 80

    FitnezzJimposted 13 years ago

    A college degree is like anything else in life.  You get out of it what you put into it.  If you truly have the thirst to learn then the degree will be a badge of sorts to indicate you've gained some minimal education in your chosen field.  But, you can learn just as easy without getting the degree, at risk of never having that badge.  The badge means nothing though if you were only going through the motions for the sake of obtaining the badge.
    So, the useability of a degree as a measure of intelligence depends on the person who received it at well as the school that gave it.  Because of that, I'd have to answer your question as 'no'.  Too many widely varying random variables involved.

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17. 82

    Doc Snowposted 13 years ago

    No.  I don't agree that degreed folks are more likely to be 'morons,' but some surely are--well, let's just say, "not intellectually outstanding."
    
    Brains do help in college, which is why college grads tend to score slightly higher on IQ tests than the general population--but I've long said that the one prerequisite you need is persistence.  (Especially if we are talking about doctoral degrees, which tend to be a slog.)
    
    Then there's the fact that there isn't really just one quality called "intelligence"--it's more of a catch-all for many abilities we just lump together.  And lots of different kinds of smart matter a lot out in the real world.  People can be both "book smart" and "street smart," but the two are definitely different.

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    1. 84

       gmwilliamsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Totally agree with you, Doc Snow.    Intelligence is a strong component regarding attending college.    People with below average IQs do not attend college.  The thinking that intelligence is not related to college attendance is quite fallacious!

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18. 60

    shwetha123posted 13 years ago

    No i do not think that a college degree is a measure of Intelligence. Steve Jobs is fine example of that.

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19. 67

    xethonxqposted 13 years ago

    Absolutely not! I had a colleague with a HS diploma that was a member of MENSA. The man was a genius! Of course...just because someone is a genius doesn't mean they have common sense either...he was a ding bat sometimes too...lol.

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20. 61

    stariswhoiamposted 12 years ago

    A person could be intelligent without having a college degree.
    But a college degree is a good thing to have. It would be a wise choice to get a college degree for one's future.

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21. 62

    Bri Richardposted 11 years ago

    A college degree is not the only way a person is able to show their intellect. Many people have intelligence, but are unable/don't want to attend college. This fact does not make them "stupid," they are just living a different path.

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22. 74

    JustLivingOnlineposted 10 years ago

    Seems everyone without a degree seems to point out someone who does that is a moron as an excuse why degree holders should not be given special consideration for jobs.  Ask yourself if society would be better off without college, or any education for that matter.  Why have school at all?   If a degree meant nothing no one would spend the time and energy on it.

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    1. 84

       gmwilliamsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       EXACTLY, one cannot be a moron & attend college.  This premise is totally inconclusive at its base.  It takes a certain degree of intelligence to attend, let alone complete college.

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23. 84

    gmwilliamsposted 9 years ago

    
    
    In certain cases, attaining a college degree is a measurement of intelligence. A certain level of intelligence is imperative to master college level studies.  Mastering graduate level studies indicates that a person has a superior level of intelligence.   However, this is not always the case in point.  A person with an average level of intelligence who possess a high level of discipline can successfully attain a regular Bachelor's Degree. 
    
    Sadly, there are students who were accepted in colleges/universities because their parents attended that college/university.  Many wealthy students with mediocre grades were accepted in Ivy League based upon the aforementioned.  Also there are students who resort to the act of plagiarism to get through college.  There are students in college who view college as the first step of their career ladder.   However, there are mature students who contend that college besides a career ladder is a learning experience that will reap lifelong benefits.

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24. 68

    Dylanrrichardposted 8 years ago

    A degree is definitely not a measure of intelligence. It is more a measure of ability. You have the ability of taking classes, learning the material desired, and passing exams. Intelligence is very complex, which is why true intelligence tests have multiple parts, there is no one thing that measures intelligence accurately.
    
    That being said, I am sure there is a baseline level of intelligence one needs to be able to complete a degree program, however completing a degree doesn't mean someone is now more intelligent than someone without a degree.
    
    What advantages a college degree does give is the idea that someone has studied that topic extensively for a few years, as well as studying various other fields. People with degrees in business for example, have studied various parts of business while also probably taking some English, math, science, and history courses. When they go to get a job, it is expected that this degree gives them the knowledge necessary to be better in the workforce than someone without the degree with the same amount of experience.
    
    Now, there are always exceptions to this. Experience is typically held higher than education is. So someone with no degree and years of experience is typically held higher than someone with a degree and no experience.
    
    To get back to the original question though, no, having a degree does not necessarily make you more intelligent. It is a mark of ability rather than intelligence, which is something that way more complex and inherent.
    
    Now, when you delve into most graduate study is when you take an average student and make them turn a field inside out to explore it. This can lead to a higher intelligence within that field. This is why those with Ph.D.'s  are viewed as experts in their field. I am working on a Ph.D. in Psychology, when I am finished I will be psychologist. Does that mean I am more intelligent than someone with no degree? Not at all. In fact, I'm positive there are people way more intelligent than me. However, it means that I have reached the level of study within psychology to be considered a professional expert in that field. I am in no way more intelligent than even someone who has just a BS in Psychology, though I would have a higher understanding of the field. This goes back to how truly complex intelligence is.

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