According to the Friday June 23 NY Times, “Research Finds Firstborns Gain the Higher IQ,” about three points higher in the eldest child than in the closest sibling.

And what is that good for? I quote the fourth paragraph on the front page of the Times:

“Three points on an I.Q. test may not sound like much. But experts say it can be a tipping point for some people ? the difference between a high B average and a low A, for instance. That, in turn, can have a cumulative effect that could mean the difference between admission to an elite private liberal-arts college and a less exclusive public one.”

It’s hard to imagine anything worse than that, except perhaps being denied admission to an elite nursery school for the lack of three points of I.Q.