With all the success that Simon Cowell has had in his life, from his music companies to the television shows he’s created that play all over the world, he must be extremely talented and intelligent to pull it all off. What is Simon Cowell’s IQ?
There isn’t a definitive answer as to what Simon Cowell’s IQ is, but there are unverified claims that it is between 119 and 122. Both of those scores are above average on the IQ scale, but not high enough to be considered a genius.
There is no doubt that Simon Cowell has been able to put together a fantastic musical empire, and while that does take smarts and sense, I don’t know if it requires the type of intelligence the IQ tests are testing for.
Smart vs. Intelligent
Smart is a learned application, an earned status, and can be applied to different factors such as choices and sarcasm. Whether it’s book smart, or street smart, you need to put in the effort to be smart, to gain the knowledge.
Simon Cowell is definitely smart. He’s studied the music industry as well as business and has been able to combine the two in a fantastic way that was then able to skyrocket his career and success.
Intelligence is inherent, some people are just naturally better at math, or music. You can’t teach intelligence, and it’s generally received as a higher compliment to be told you’re intelligent, as opposed to smart.
You can be smart but not very intelligent, or intelligent but not have much smarts, or sense. Or, you can be both, this generally applies to those born with a certain level of intelligence. They tend to read more and gain more knowledge, and due to their intelligence are able to retain that information and apply it as required.
Intelligence Quotient
Intelligence quotient, or IQ, is a total score that is calculated based on several standardized tests. The modern IQ number is calculated by starting at 100, and then adding or subtracting 15 points for each standard subtest, based on how one performed it.
There are multiple different IQ tests as well, so a score on one test may not equal the same score on another test. Because of this difference, organizations such as Mensa have requirements that applicants be in the 98th percentile, as opposed to an actual IQ number.
Intelligence numbers are all guestimates, and intangible, as opposed to solving a definitive question such as how many eyes does the average person have. While they are abstract and not concrete, a person’s IQ is still able to associate them with certain categories, such as mortality and social status.
After almost 100 years of investigating, researchers have been unable to find a link between intelligence and heredity. Neither have they been able to differentiate between men and women.
Average Person’s IQ
Many people want to know where they fit into the rest of the world when it comes to their IQ, and what is the average IQ. Just as an IQ is not a concrete number, neither are the averages. The average varies by country, the United States has an average IQ of 98, while Hong Kong has an average of 108.
Approximately 68% of people have an IQ between 85 and 115. On the opposite ends of the scale, less than 2.5% have an IQ below 70, and another 2.5% have an IQ above 130.
There is some controversy surrounding IQ tests and outcomes. A lot of false information is used to come up with assumptions, creating turmoil amongst different societal groups.
Some argue that the system was set up by Western Europeans, and therefore those who do not share the same culture have a disadvantage when taking the tests.
Other areas that can influence IQ testing, such as the environment in which the test taker is a part of. Those who have access to cleaner air, better foods, and less infectious diseases tend to do better on the tests.
And, just like everything else, there are always exceptions. So you may find someone with an extremely high IQ living in amongst an area that has an average of low IQs. None of it is concrete and it shouldn’t stop you from believing you can achieve what you want.