IQ scores between 85 and 100 should prompt a counselor to monitor for what types of needs?

• A. Physical, intellectual, emotional, or social needs
• B. Only academic needs
• C. Only physical health needs
• D. No concerns require monitoring

Answer: (B)

Having an IQ in the 85–100 range places a student in the average range, but that alone doesn’t tell the whole story about what they might need. A counselor uses cognitive scores as one piece of information, not a verdict on all areas of a student’s life. Students with average IQ can still face a variety of challenges that affect learning and well-being, including emotional or mental health issues, social skills, behavior, attention and motivation, physical health, or learning differences that aren’t captured by IQ tests.

So the most helpful approach is to monitor across multiple domains—academic skills, emotional and social functioning, and physical health—because concerns in any of these areas can impact school success. Focusing only on academics could miss important needs in other parts of the student’s life that, if addressed, would support better outcomes.

In short, the counselor should be attentive to a broad range of needs, not just academic ones, even when IQ scores appear average.