Can you be great in STEM with average IQ?

I see this notion a lot around here and the answer is rather obvious, just using common sense: no. Being great at STEM requires significant math ability, something most people lack that is to say the aptitude is missing.

As well, being in STEM of any sort does require a substantially higher intellectual capacity than most people possess. I realize what I am about to say is anecdotal, but it does still hold true in the general sense: Ive personally met a lot of engineers, especially software engineers (Im in information technology as my profession). Not a one could be described as being even close to average intelligence. Its just the nature of engineering, whether mechanical, civil, or software,

Does anyone seriously believe you could pluck anyone with an average IQ and have them successfully be a Google engineer, with its strong demand for mathematical fluency, something that few people have? Unfortunately, though theyre quite wrong, yes, they do, and thats too bad. Its misleading and inaccurate, both scientifically, and common-sense-wise.

But the answer remains no, no matter how much people wish it to be the opposite.

Define "great".

take someone very smart. Like einstein. Let him be born. leave him in the middle of antartica with food to survive for the rest of his life.

einstein is now a retarded adult.

what do you think of that, user?

A lot of people here, with poor understanding of genetics, environment and intelligence, will call bullshit on you (I guess you know that already though). I can see it crystal clear, someone saying that Einstein was either a hack or in a situation like that he would be like Ramanujan and make breakthroughs anyway.

>Einstein
>Not a hack
We're talking about intelligent people here, buddy.

Yeah because intelligence is 100% environmental. Oh wait, it's actually 75% heritable.

Math skills are acquired, though.
It takes time, obviously less for people with higher intelligence.

>basing "intelligence" by academics
>not basing intelligence by how someone applies that knowledge

Just because Einstein wouldn't have gone to school doesn't mean he would be retarded, retard. School does not make you smart, your genetics do. Anyone can learn something.

IQ increases the more you study


You can train certain congnitive functions that directly translate into higher IQ in any STEM course.

But you having to ask this probably means that you're retarded

>Can you be great in STEM with average IQ?

TL;DR- Assuming you're not clinically retarded, sure.

STEM fields require patience, average intelligence, ( as an absolute minimum, with a few notable exceptions- such as QP- which requires high intelligence) dedication, discipline, and like all things, a willingness to learn.

Only one of these things is based on genetics.

With Good enough social skills you could go fairly far

IQ never increases. Your ibtelligence is genetic and if anything declines throughout your life.

I wasn't talking about regurgitating textbook material. I was talking about actually practicing the field. I have never met a Goigle engineer with average intelligence and thank god for that, they would take forever to come up with something worthwhile and even that wouldn't be anything brilliant.

I think everyone of average intelligence can get a degree in anything they want assuming they have sufficient time. If you ACTUALLY put in 2 (efficient) hours of studying for every one hour you put in class, like they recommend, I have a hard time believing anything can stay above someone's head for that long.

Anything's possible with hard work bud.
Yeah, some people are naturally talented, fuck em. Just work harder you lazy sack of shit.

Can someone explain this meem?

Ehhh, I don't care. I just want to live a quiet life in the countryside.

Depends how far from average you are. The difference between 140 and 190 is nearly nothing compared to the difference between 100 and 110.

Environment is heritable.

>IQ never increases. Your ibtelligence is genetic and if anything declines throughout your life.

You don't know what the fuck you're talking about. "Ibtelligence" quotients can be increased by taking another IQ test beforehand.

You can change your environment though.

Raising IQ is super hard. BUT...

I had this asian friend who was nearly failing his honors Algebra class in 8th grade, and he was so sad that he wasnt smart like his parents and brother.

So he litterally would practive mental math, read all the time, play online chess as his only break, got a tutor, stopped hanging out with us at lunch to play memory games inside, and other shit too.

After about two years he was one of the better kids academically in the math classes.

If you really want to change your IQ, you have to study your homework like a mad man. And you MUST MUST MUST train your brain all the fucking time. 30 minutes a day wont cut it, it has to be comsuming all time that is not put aside for studying.


No one is willing to do that, but thats what it takes.

I have 102 IQ and I'm an electrical engineer.

Anything is possible faggot

intelligence only correlates with achievement until iq around 120

after that its all drive

you wont be some goat mathematician or theoretical physicist, but you can still get shit done if you get the fuck off Veeky Forums and stop asking stupid questions.

Don't be a pussy. Just work hard. Jesus Christ, everyone needs to be fucking spoonfed.

>you wont be some goat mathematician or theoretical physicist

That's what I'm saying. You'll be mediocre at the very best after sacrificing your whole life to studying.

not even einstein could explain it

More like 50%. Get your percentages right, nigger.

Depends. Do you want to be a goat mathematician or physicist? Even with an IQ of 100 you can do that. Obviously it's gonna be a lot harder than it is for someone with 130 or so, but it's entirely possible. If you think otherwise, maybe it's time to leave Veeky Forums and actually doing something with your life and seeing it for what it is instead of giving importance to the numbers the autists here pull out of their asses.

>undergrad
>engineer

everyone can do this

>all these mad brainlets ITT

For real though. You obviously need intelligence for STEM, why go into it when you don't have what it takes?

You can but then again, you'll have to put loads of effort and sacrifice most of the things you like in order to achieve. I as a fellow brainlet do not have the drive to do such a thing, I'd rather just end up working at McDonald's.

Can you just try to answer that for yourself? It's so basic that suicide is your only option if you fail.

>measure some concrete roads

School is much tougher than 90% of the jobs you'll get in the field. If you can survive school and you're not an idiot (I mean, have some common sense) you'll be fine.

I've found there's an inverse relationship between how good you are in school and how well you do in the workplace. Might not be true for other positions, but as a low-level designer for a defence contractor I see it every fucking day. All the math and equations in the world can't save you if you've got no common sense and no ability to extrapolate.