I came across an article discussing and ranking the estimated IQs of Presidents of the United States. Curious about whether any studies had actually been done of their IQs I checked a few other articles about that subject. I found some variations about the listings and assessments, but some consistency as well.
As I looked, I thought back to some tests I had taken in my teens and 20s. Those tests consistently estimated my IQ as between 120 and 129. That puts me in the above average range. That makes sense. I've generally been among the most intelligent persons in any group or situation, but there are often a few people who are more intelligent. Those more gifted individuals would be considered gifted (130-144), exceptionally gifted (145-159), or profoundly gifted (160+).
I then wondered where I would rank in comparison with the Presidents. Certainly, Presidents would have to have a certain level of intellectual ability - or perhaps luck or just plain ambition - to have risen that high.
As I noted, there are some variations in the assessments/rankings based on the different criteria used. The consensus seems to be that the President with the highest IQ was John Quincy Adams, whose IQ is estimated between 168 and 175.
Wow.
The President most often listed as second on the list is Thomas Jefferson with an IQ around 160.
In one list John Kennedy is ranked 3rd (around 160 also), followed by Bill Clinton (159) and Jimmy Carter (157). In another list Woodrow Wilson is tied with Clinton, pushing Jimmy Cater to 6th.
Among those who made the rest of the top 10 - with variations depending on the lists - are James Madison, John Adams, Barack Obama, Teddy Roosevelts, Franklin Roosevelt, Millard Filmolre, William Howard Taft, and Abraham Lincoln.
By the way, Donald Trump is generally ranked 15th or 16, with an estimated IQ of around 145.
It turns out that my range is also the range of the lowest ranked Presidents. The only one who drops below that 120-129 range is Joe Biden at 115 - at the top end of the average range.
In the 120s - again, there are variations depending on the lists - appear James Buchanan, Andrew Jackson, Zachary Taylor, Harry Truman, Calvin Coolidge, Andrew Johnson, Warren Harding, Ulysses S. Grant, Lyndon Johnson, and George W. Bush.
Hmm. A mixed bag. Some are ranked among the worst Presidents too.
So I had the IQ to be President - albeit one of the lowest ranked by that criterion.
But I was smart enough not to try.
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