First ep of the new year! ...and we almost missed it. Dx

[dysfunkshunell1.livejournal.com]

This is the discussion post for Episode 7x11 - "True Genius". Watch out for SPOILERS in the comments

Comments

[rainbow-goddess.livejournal.com]

How exactly would Garcia be able to track people with an IQ above 160? It's not like people are registered based on their IQ.

[doverz.livejournal.com]

MENSA

[rainbow-goddess.livejournal.com]

Not all geniuses belong to MENSA. Not all geniuses even know what their actual IQ is.

[doverz.livejournal.com]

Very true. But, that's what Garcia said she was doing.

[full-metal-ox.livejournal.com]

That's a detail that bothered me about this episode--the notion that IQ is some kind of absolute that can be treated like an RPG stat ("INT 16 or better required to crack this case.") And Reid has to know about standard variation, even if the writers don.t.

[nwjarvis.livejournal.com]

Do schools still routinely do IQ testing? And would those results be in a database somewhere? Or just paper records?

[blue-sunflowers.livejournal.com]

Yes they definitely do in elementary - which is why Hotch also told Garcia to check school records. Though students with an IQ over 160 could probably easily be traced without going through files or databases, hence why Garcia found them through a news article they did. Checking TAG enrollment also. Lastly, if I were Garcia I wouldn`t have started with MENSA. There are several "groups" organized by IQ (based on what percent your IQ is compared to the rest of the populace - ie 0.1%, 0.01% etc). They clearly said in their profile the guy had an ego, so I would presume that might extend to him wanting to be in the most exclusive IQ club he could.

[nwjarvis.livejournal.com]

"Check school records". Yeah, I missed that on the first viewing.

[gsyh.livejournal.com]

Gifted Programs? I know they do IQ testing for children in early grade school, they did in my district.

[rainbow-goddess.livejournal.com]

Would Garcia be able to just go online and dig up school records for every kid in the state of the approximate age of their unsub? Do schools even keep those records after graduation?

Also, is IQ the only criteria for a gifted program? Just using myself as an example (my schools didn't have any gifted programs) I would have been considered "gifted" in some areas (languages, writing, reading) but my IQ is (as far as I know, not having the exact number) not very high, because I have a learning disability that affects my ability to learn subjects not involving words or verbal skills.

[blue-sunflowers.livejournal.com]

IQ isn`t used for TAG, but two kids like Caleb and Harvey would probably be in it or at least have a G/T classification if the school didn`t have a program ~ so an easier search than going through the entire school population looking one by one for elementary IQ scores. And yes, schools are required to keep records for at least a decade (I actually think it`s two decades in my state), and confidential health, state records (like abuse or foster care, etc), and/or education issues (like IEPs) even longer.