How Was Her IQ Score of 228 Obtained?
The score of 228 was obtained via the Stanford-Binet scale when vos Savant was approximately 10 years old. The Stanford-Binet at the time calculated IQ using a ratio formula: (Mental Age / Chronological Age) × 100. Because vos Savant was performing at the level of a 22-year-old when she was 10, the ratio yields 220 to 228 depending on the specific test version.
This is not to diminish her extraordinary intelligence — she clearly belongs among the cognitively elite — but it explains why her specific number is somewhat contested among psychologists. Guinness World Records retired the "highest IQ" category in 1990, partly because of the difficulties in comparing scores across different tests and methodologies.
Ask Marilyn: The World's Most-Read Intelligence Column
Since 1986, vos Savant has written the "Ask Marilyn" column for Parade magazine, which at its peak was distributed with more than 35 million newspapers weekly — making it one of the most widely read columns in the world. Readers submit questions ranging from logic puzzles to philosophical dilemmas to practical advice, and vos Savant answers them with characteristic directness and clarity.
She has tackled questions about ethics, mathematics, language, science, and everyday decision-making. Her column is notable for engaging seriously with reader objections and corrections — including many cases where she has been proven right against an avalanche of opposition.
The Monty Hall Problem: Her Most Famous Moment
In September 1990, a reader asked vos Savant about the Monty Hall problem — a famous probability puzzle based on the TV show "Let's Make a Deal." The setup: you are shown three doors. Behind one is a car; behind the others are goats. You choose door #1. The host (who knows what's behind each door) opens door #3 to reveal a goat and then asks if you want to switch to door #2. Should you switch?
Vos Savant answered: yes, you should always switch. Switching gives you a 2/3 chance of winning the car; staying gives you only a 1/3 chance. The answer is mathematically correct.
The episode became famous not just as a demonstration of her intellectual rigor, but as a case study in how counterintuitive probability can be even for experts — and how institutional authority can be a poor substitute for careful reasoning.
Her Views on IQ and Intelligence
Despite being famous for her IQ score, vos Savant herself has expressed skepticism about IQ tests as the definitive measure of intelligence. She has written that the tests measure a certain kind of cognitive speed and pattern recognition but miss creativity, wisdom, and what she calls "the ability to know what to think about." She has said she does not believe being at the top of an IQ chart makes someone a better person or even more useful to society.
This nuanced self-awareness is part of what has made her a lasting public figure rather than a mere curiosity. She uses her platform to encourage rigorous thinking and healthy skepticism — qualities she argues are more practically valuable than any test score.
Explore our profile of Marilyn vos Savant and compare her with other remarkable minds. Visit IQ 228 profiles for more context, or discover who else shares her extraordinary abilities.
