Gifted IQ: 130 to 139

An IQ of 130 is two standard deviations above the mean and the most common cutoff for school gifted programmes. Mensa admits the top 2% on an approved test, which is close to 130 on a scale with a standard deviation of 15.

People in this range often find school easy, read widely and pick up complex subjects with little instruction.

A gifted score opens doors in selective education and demanding careers. Motivation, interests and opportunity still decide most of what follows.

Boredom in slow-paced settings and perfectionism are common complaints. Research does not support the stereotype that gifted people are generally less well adjusted.

A gifted score is not a guarantee of achievement or happiness. It also sits near a popular cutoff, so a result of 128 one day and 132 the next is ordinary measurement error, not a change in ability.

IQ classifications are statistical bands on a scale with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. Individual abilities vary a lot within each band, and intelligence is one factor among many in how life turns out.

Lewis Terman followed about 1,500 children with IQs of roughly 135 and above from the 1920s onwards. As a group they were healthier, better educated and more successful than average, but IQ alone did not predict who became eminent.

Labels differ between tests. This range is called very superior on the WAIS-IV, extremely high on the WISC-V and gifted or very advanced on the Stanford-Binet 5. The classifications overview compares the systems, and the IQ chart lists each score range with its percentile. For how the gifted range is split into mildly, moderately, highly and profoundly gifted, see the levels of giftedness.