Bad analogy. ELO isn't really a rating system, it's a ranking system. In order to be ranked 1200, you have to be able to beat people ranked below 1200. A 5 year

Bad analogy. ELO isn't really a rating system, it's a ranking system. In order to be ranked 1200, you have to be able to beat people ranked below 1200. A 5 year old being rated highly (and I'd believe there are 5 year olds significantly above 1200) against adults proves by definition that he's extraordinary on an adult scale. Microsoft certs, on the other hand, are fixed. It's possible (although unlikely) that they're passable by someone at a 4 year old level.