IQ is an approximate measure of learning ability. The IQ for a 14-year-old is expressed relative to all other 14-year-olds. On a typical IQ test, a score of 100 is average, and a 14-year-old with an IQ of 165 has scored as high or higher than 99.9992% of all other 14-year-olds. That is, only one in 136,074 people has a score of 165 or higher. This assumes, of course, that the IQ test on which the score was obtained has a standard deviation of 15 and was administered by a qualified professional. Many on-line tests of IQ are used to generate revenue and have not been properly “normed” across a large random sample of people, so scores on such tests are meaningless.
Since IQ provides and excellent estimate of learning ability in subjects like language and mathematics, it is relatively stable among those at age 14 and not usually changed in a significant way (though some recent research, described below, suggests that an adolescent’s IQ can change as much as 15 points, i.e., on standard deviation, in a period of 3 years).
In a longitudinal study, 33 teenagers of average age 14.1 years were administered an IQ test and a structural brain scan in 2004 and then again in 2007, when their average age was 17.7 years. It was found that during this period, the average IQ of the group had changed very little; however about 20% of the participants showed a positive or negative change in IQ of at least 15 points (one standard deviation). Furthermore, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed that positive changes in IQ corresponded to increased gray matter in sections of the brain associated with those cognitive functions. (See Ramsden, Sue. et al. 2011. “Verbal and non-verbal intelligence changes in the teenage brain.” Nature. Vol. 479. pp. 113-116.) Summarizing their findings, the researchers reported:
Our results emphasize the possibility that an individual’s intellectual capacity relative to their peers can decrease or increase in the teenage years. This would be encouraging to those whose intellectual potential may improve, and would be a warning that early achievers may not maintain their potential.
A 14-year-old with a properly-measured IQ of 165 is sufficiently intelligent to pursue any profession and has the luxury of choice in selecting any career requiring high cognitive skills. However, even with that IQ, reaching the top echelons in such fields as theoretical physics, mathematics, or computer science requires that a high level of intellectual tenacity and creativity, be combined with this intellectual gift. A person with drive, passion, and ambition can often achieve even more than an IQ might predict. The good news is that, if you have a measured IQ of 165 at age 14, you have great potential for a rewarding and productive life!
