Is an IQ test accurate?

Question

I don't think so, i have taken a few IQ tests just out of curiosity. The first few results were around 98, the next few that i took a few years later were around 130. Today i tried one from some wierd (just my opinion) high IQ test society and could only get around 115. But then i tried another one and got 142... so im pretty sure that they are horribly in accurate.

138 from here: http://www.iqtest.com/

115 from here: http://www.highiqsociety.org/iq_tests/

140 from here: http://www.quickiqtest.net/

142 from here: http://www.free-iqtest.net/

Answer 1

As you get older, you gain knowledge. This would account for the difference in scores between the first time you took a test and a few years later. "Free-iqtest.com" gives pretty high scores ... I got 162, but I test out at around 130 on other tests.

All an IQ test measures is how well you can answer the questions on that particular test. Your background, your education, your life experiences all make a difference in the IQ test.

Answer 2

Nothing online is reputable or can be trusted.  It's more complicated than just taking a test online, and must be administered by a licensed psychologist.  

Answer 3

There is no test on Earth that can measure how intelligent you are. We are all intelligent, just in different ways.

Answer 4

Online tests aren't at all accurate. Most of them are seriously inflated to flatter you. (Especially the ones that want you to pay for their results!) Plus, many of them don't account for time. They are meant as games or esteem boosters.

The only true way to find out your IQ is to pay for a professional test administered by a psychologist. Even then, scores will vary (although not as drastically as what you posted here!) Different tests have slightly different scales so, for example, a 130 could be a genius on one but another might take a 150.

Also, your IQ has nothing to do with education. The questions they ask aren't about learned knowledge, they are about reasoning skills. All you need is very basic math and literacy, so a college education doesn't give you any advantage over third grade. Actually, your IQ will decline a bit as you age past 30 or so (depending on the source.)