Having really close friends within 20 IQ points of you is completely reasonable.  Further, people more or less self stratify by IQ.  So, 145 is not 1:1000 at even a run of the mill state school.<p>IMO, the real issue is smart people fall into the same traps as everyone else.  They just end up feeling worse about it.  Yes, getting a PHD in molecular biology was probably a bad plan because getting a PHD is generally a bad idea.  Which is sadly the same trap as becoming a Hair Stylist just aimed at smart people.