Intelligence or Diligence

[amarkov]

<p>

Saying that two factors are both desirable (or that there is a required threshold for both) in a selection process doesn’t answer the substance of the question.</p>

<p>If you want a routine or unskilled job, or admission to a middle-of-the-road university, then evidence of diligence and related factors (such as conscientiousness, responsibility, finishing tasks, work ethic, honesty, etc) will have relatively more influence compared to talent factors, than in a selection for a prized specialized job or admission to a top university. The relative importance of innate or developed “talent” factors (such as intelligence, creativity, musicality, charisma, sex appeal, position in a national ranking of chess players or athletes, etc) will grow tremendously as the standard of selection is raised higher and higher.

</p>

<p>Everything you say is true, but I’m not sure that you’re addressing the real substance of the question either. The reason why talent becomes more important as the school gets more and more selective is because nearly everyone is fairly diligent when they apply. And more importantly, while intelligence certainly does help a lot, you have to demonstrate somehow that you’re intelligent, which usually involves being diligent about something. If you’re the cookie-cutter 3.0 student who obviously could be the top of the class if you wanted to, your intelligence won’t matter, because colleges won’t know about it.</p>

[VANHALEN1884]

<p>There are reasons to suggest that academic institutions including universities are moving towards creating an atmosphere whereby the prominence of intelligence is downsized in favor of hard work. Increasing proportions of grades allotted to home assignments and project works is evidence of this claim because unlike a proper timed examination session, such assignments demand more that students work assiduously than that students take their intellectual prowess to the limits.</p>

[Vertigo220h]

<p>It depends on circumstance. I know that if I hadn’t worked my tail off that I wouldn’t have achieved scores indicative of my own raw intelligence (e.g. I had to take the initiative to sign myself up for said standardized exams…to sign up for my own AP courses and to forge my parents’ signatures). I’m sure that those in a lower socioeconomic stance or those with notable family problems empathize.</p>

[monstor344]

<p>Both for sure, but given who’s gotten into certain schools from my school in recent years, I question just how much of the former they’re looking for.</p>

[Drought]

<p>^I completely agree. Moderately intelligent overachievers win out over really smart, slightly unmotivated kids every time.</p>

[Northstarmom]

<p>"There are reasons to suggest that academic institutions including universities are moving towards creating an atmosphere whereby the prominence of intelligence is downsized in favor of hard work. "</p>

<p>I haven’t seen this at all. To graduate from a university takes hard work and intelligence. To graduate from a top university requires large quantities of both factors.</p>