Am I More Book Smart or Street Smart?

Take this quiz to find out what kind of smarts you have!

Some people rely on their knowledge, while others rely on their instincts. Some people are book smart, some people are street smart—and some people are both.

Answer these quick questions, and we’ll tell you which one you are.

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Questions Overview

1. A stranger on the street asks to borrow $100. What do you do?
  1. Give them the money, but charge them interest. That way, I make some money!
  2. Give them the money, but take their ID and cards as collateral. They'll get it back when they pay me back.
  3. Tell them no, that’s too much money to lend.
2. You have a huge test tomorrow, but you haven't studied at all. What do you do?
  1. I cram study the night before. I can at least give it my best!
  2. I email the teacher and ask to take it later. If I'm honest about my mistake, they'll understand.
  3. I just call in sick and take it later. Easy peasy.
3. You have a chance to win $1000 if you beat one of these games. Which do you pick?
  1. A crossword
  2. Rock-Paper-Scissors
  3. A foot race
4. You're in a cafe and need to use the bathroom, but haven't finished your drink. What do you do?
  1. Bring it with me to the bathroom. No biggie.
  2. Ask the barista to watch it behind the counter.
  3. Just leave it at the table. What, is someone gonna steal it?
5. You're lost in the wild with no supplies! What should you do first?
  1. Look for something to eat. I need energy if I'm gonna survive.
  2. Look for fresh water. I read somewhere that you can't survive for long without water.
  3. Make a shelter. I'm done for if I'm not warm and dry.
6. You're dropped into a new town with no money and no connections. What do you do first?
  1. Find someplace to crash for a while. Maybe someone online can help?
  2. Scope out a new job. I'll need money to get on my feet!
  3. Head to the library. I know they've got loads of resources for people like me.
7. You're interviewing for a big job, and the interviewer asks what your greatest strength is. You say:
  1. "I'm super knowledgeable and experienced."
  2. "I'm a hard worker who strives for perfection every time and learns from my mistakes."
  3. "I'm a great coworker who can get along with anyone, no trouble."
8. What's your favorite kind of book to read?
  1. Novels and fiction. I want a good story!
  2. History or non-fiction. I want to learn about the world.
  3. I don't really read books.
  4. Comics, graphic novels, or poetry. I love a good work of art.
9. What level of education do you want to achieve?
  1. A high school diploma/GED is enough for me.
  2. I want an undergraduate college degree!
  3. I want a master's degree or PhD!
  4. I don't really know.
10. What do you think is most impressive?
  1. Being the CEO of a big company.
  2. Traveling the world.
  3. Graduating from Harvard or Yale.
  4. Living to 90 years old.
11. What's the worst thing someone could be?
  1. Ignorant
  2. Boring
  3. Pretentious
12. It seems like someone shady is following you down the street. What do you do?
  1. Duck into a cafe where I'm safe with other people until they pass.
  2. Stop and confront them. I can handle this myself.
  3. Call the cops. I don't mess around with this stuff.
  4. Call a friend to come pick me up. I need an ally.

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Moby Dick<\/i>. You're a great student, and a whiz when it comes to learning new info. But you're also in-tune with other people, and you know how to hold a conversation, how to navigate relationships, and how to use your book smarts to get the most out of life, which is where your street smarts kick in. For example, your book smarts might tell you that you've got the budget to buy those slick new shoes without breaking the bank, but your street smarts might help you haggle, bargain, and get the best deal, saving your money in the process. You've got the best of both worlds!","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Street-Smart"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Smart"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Be Street Smart","id":411489,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Street-Smart","relUrl":"\/Be-Street-Smart","image":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/7c\/Be-Street-Smart-Step-15-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Be-Street-Smart-Step-15-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Be Street Smart"},{"title":"How to Be Smart","id":104727,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Smart","relUrl":"\/Be-Smart","image":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/4b\/Be-Smart-Step-8-Version-3.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Be-Smart-Step-8-Version-3.jpg","alt":"How to Be Smart"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""},{"number":2,"text":"You're more street smart!","meaning":"Street smarts are the ability to \"read\" other people, navigate relationships, and adapt to the world around you, and when it comes to street smarts, you're an ace student. You've got lots of life experience that gives you the know-how and confidence to tackle new and unfamiliar situations, and while it might not always be a breeze, you're always confident that you'll make it through and land on your own two feet, which is a huge skill!

Sure, you might not have all the book smarts (which is just the ability to learn and hold raw info, like new vocab, trivia, or academic concepts like the equation for chemical reaction or what Herman Melville meant when he wrote Moby Dick<\/i>) but you've got something book smart people don't have. For example, a book-smart person might be able to impress a recruiter with a flashy resume, but that doesn't mean they'll get the job. You, on the other hand, could walk into an interview with no resume at all and lean on your own life experience and charisma to land the job, and that's<\/i> the difference.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Street-Smart"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Smart"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Be Street Smart","id":411489,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Street-Smart","relUrl":"\/Be-Street-Smart","image":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/7c\/Be-Street-Smart-Step-15-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Be-Street-Smart-Step-15-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Be Street Smart"},{"title":"How to Be Smart","id":104727,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Smart","relUrl":"\/Be-Smart","image":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/4b\/Be-Smart-Step-8-Version-3.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Be-Smart-Step-8-Version-3.jpg","alt":"How to Be Smart"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""},{"number":3,"text":"You're more book smart!","meaning":"Book smarts are the ability to learn and hold raw info, like new vocab, trivia, or academic concepts like the equation for chemical reaction or what Herman Melville meant when he wrote Moby Dick<\/i>. You're someone who loves learning new things, and can use the things you learn to help you get ahead in life. You're a great student, and what you might lack in life experience, you more than make up for in passion, curiosity, and the ability to teach yourself whatever you need to succeed.

Sure, you might not have all the street smarts (which is the ability to naturally navigate the world and all its twists and turns), but your book smarts help you study and prepare for those twists and turns like any other test, giving you a leg up on people who do have street smarts. For example, a street-smart person might be able to charm a recruiter with some smooth talking, but you come prepared with a long resume and the know-how that proves you're the right person for the job, and that's<\/i> the difference.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Street-Smart"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Smart"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Be Street Smart","id":411489,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Street-Smart","relUrl":"\/Be-Street-Smart","image":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/7c\/Be-Street-Smart-Step-15-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Be-Street-Smart-Step-15-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Be Street Smart"},{"title":"How to Be Smart","id":104727,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Smart","relUrl":"\/Be-Smart","image":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/4b\/Be-Smart-Step-8-Version-3.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Be-Smart-Step-8-Version-3.jpg","alt":"How to Be Smart"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""}]" class="quiz_results_data"/>\"Maturity<\/picture>","alt":"Am I Mature Quiz"},{"title":"Am I Selfish Quiz","id":14653411,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Am-I-Selfish","relUrl":"\/Am-I-Selfish","image":"\"Am<\/picture>","alt":"Am I Selfish Quiz"},{"title":"What Type of Person Am I Quiz","id":13974160,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/What-Type-of-Person-Am-I","relUrl":"\/What-Type-of-Person-Am-I","image":"\"What<\/picture>","alt":"What Type of Person Am I Quiz"}],"number":1},{"text":"Kindness","result":"Interesting! In that case, check out these quizzes:","next_quizzes":[{"title":"How Empathetic Am I Quiz","id":14397248,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Empathy-Test","relUrl":"\/Empathy-Test","image":"\"Empathy<\/picture>","alt":"How Empathetic Am I Quiz"},{"title":"Do I Have Common Sense Quiz","id":14312708,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Common-Sense-Quiz","relUrl":"\/Common-Sense-Quiz","image":"\"Common<\/picture>","alt":"Do I Have Common Sense Quiz"},{"title":"Am I a Likable Person Quiz","id":14061268,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Likable-Person-Test","relUrl":"\/Likable-Person-Test","image":"\"Likable<\/picture>","alt":"Am I a Likable Person Quiz"}],"number":2}]}" class="quiz_questionnaire_data"/>

Street Smarts vs. Book Smarts

What are street smarts?
Street smarts are the ability to navigate anything life throws at you using only your intuition and instinct. It’s something that only comes through hard-earned experience and making a few mistakes here and there, so that the next time you’re faced with a tough situation, you know just what to do and say to make it through. It’s practical, useful, real-world knowledge that helps you connect to other people and survive in ways that just studying from a textbook won't.

What are book smarts?
Book smarts are academic abilities, like being able to learn and remember raw information like definitions, formulas, and facts. People who are book smart are usually great students who excel at more technical skills that other people might struggle with, like how to research a tricky topic, or how to puzzle their way out of a tricky situation using logic and facts.

Which is better?
It depends! Really, neither is “better” than the other, but one might be more useful depending on the situation. For example, if you’re in a fight with a friend, you might present them with a logical and well-thought-out argument that proves you’re correct, but that might not help your relationship heal. On the other hand, if you’re street smart, you might be able to play it off and heal the relationship, but it won’t solve the question that started the argument in the first place, and sooner or later, you’ll find yourself back where you started.

How do you get more book smart or street smart? Luckily, both book smarts and street smarts are muscles you can exercise and make stronger! Work out your book smarts by, well, reading more books! Crack open a novel, a biography, or an engaging non-fiction book to learn more about yourself and the world around you. And to exercise your street smarts, just be curious about the world around you, and get yourself into new situations! It’s one thing to read about how to climb a mountain, and it’s another to get out there and climb it yourself.

Want to learn more?

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