Every U.S. President Ranked by IQ

John Quincy Adams was a bona fide intellectual prodigy. By his teens, he was fluent in Latin, Greek, French, and Dutch. He graduated from Harvard at 20, wrote poetry for fun, and kept a detailed diary his entire life. His grasp of philosophy, diplomacy, and classical literature was unmatched among presidents.

He brought that intellect to leadership with discipline and conviction. As a diplomat, he negotiated treaties with precision and foresight. As president, he envisioned a national university, observatories, and infrastructure projects decades ahead of his time. Even after leaving office, he served in Congress—still arguing moral principles with razor-sharp clarity.