IQ may or may not be learned but IQ tests are very much a skill. The difference between my first test and the second one was almost 30 points. These were not too far apart but the second time I simply knew what to expect.

This. I cannot understand why people seem to think that IQ test results are an objective measure of anything. Of course we all make mistakes sometimes or have bad days or brain fog for whatever reason. Even the time of day affects cognition. How would any kind of test compensate for this? A particularly good or bad score can very well be just a fluke.

I have never seen anyone I would consider really smart who took these tests seriously.

Those are reasons to doubt a single test but wouldn't affect bigger statistics.

Sure, unless there is some sampling bias like more tests being done at a given time of day, or a given day of the week. Or tests probing particular aspects of cognition that get emphasised or de-emphasised in the education system.

Even so, most of the discussions about IQ are about individual scores and a lot of pseudoscience.

+1 The actual scientific usage of IQ test is to screen for children that are on the low part of the spectrum and then do more qualitative analysis and care. The whole focus on high-IQ is just nonsense. I don't have any ref on hand about that tho.

this is so under appreciated.

I consider myself a person of average intelligence who learned very early on that preparation can set me ahead of the group.

I practiced interviewing, public speaking, coding, writing, test taking, etc, and it's helped immensely. I mean, most tests tip their hand later, which allows you to go back and revise earlier answers. most writing is formulaic, you just have to find a good example. any system that you are evaluated by can be learned.

To prep for grad entrance exams, I wroke up early every Friday, got ready, drove around, sat down and took a timed practice exam at 930 sharp. all to emulate my Friday 900am exam appointment. I got the score I wanted.

None of those things are IQ tests. You just listed a bunch of things that explicitly are possible to study for. Well designed IQ tests can not be studied for, they're just measuring your pattern recognition ability, not any knowledge you have.

> any system that you are evaluated by can be learned.

"When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure" -- Goodhart's Law