Why Sorting Quizzes Are Not Totally Accurate
Anyone who has read the Harry Potter books or seen the Harry Potter movies has wondered what their Hogwarts House would be. Some people take as many online Sorting quizzes as they can find and decide that their House is whatever result they got the most. There are those who only look at the basic stereotypes of each House (good guys, nerds, bad guys, and everyone else) and decide based on which they think is cooler. And there are many who only take the Wizarding World quiz and stick with whatever the first result is. While taking online Sorting quizzes can be lots of fun, but they’re not entirely accurate.
The most obvious reason as to why the quizzes aren’t very accurate would be that they are not the real Sorting Hat. The Sorting Hat was created around 990 AD by the four founders of Hogwarts. They knew that they would not always be around to Sort future students, so they enchanted the Sorting Hat to take over this task. It uses Legilimency to see into the minds of new students. The Sorting Hat will examine a new student’s past, conscious mind, subconscious mind, the person they are now, and the person they wish to be.
The Sorting Hat takes into account the things that people value, not just what traits they currently have. Someone may be a very loyal friend, but they have wished their whole life that they could be honorable and brave. Hufflepuff may be a close second, but they truly belong in Gryffindor. It can be difficult for people to know what kind of person they want to be, especially if they are constantly being pressured by their family or friends to behave a certain way.
It is all too easy to allow oneself to be influenced by others, especially if they are unsure of who they want to be or are insecure about who they are now. Accepting themselves for who they are is incredibly difficult, and it takes time and maturity to do so. By the time they figure out who they want to be and who they are right now, they will have grown out of the person they were at age eleven. People change and grow all the time. So Sorting in general, whether it be from the official Wizarding World quiz or the Sorting Hat itself, is not accurate in the long run.
The most common issue with online quizzes is that people go into them slightly biased. Someone may know what House they want to be in, so they will lean towards the answers they think will give them their desired House. Whether it’s a conscious decision or not, the need to be Sorted into the “right” House can influence their choices. Most traits people value, and even some traits already possessed, are kept in their subconscious. Someone may not be truly aware of the kind of person they are or the kind of person they wish to be. Because of this, many people end up accidentally being dishonest when answering the questions. It is important to be truly honest with oneself to know what House is the best fit.
Lastly, Sorting quizzes tend to be very obvious in the questions asked. The official Wizarding World Sorting Quiz may be the most accurate since it asks about priorities. Still, other quiz sites, such as BuzzFeed, ask questions with answers that obviously lean towards one House or the other. For example, one of the BuzzFeed questions asks, “You would be most hurt if a person called you…” with answer options being “weak,” “ignorant,” “unkind,” and “boring.” These options clearly represent the Houses. Being called weak, ignorant, unkind, and boring are related to the Houses Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor, respectively.
When taking unofficial Sorting quizzes, a MuggleNet staff member has found that she is most often placed in Ravenclaw. Whenever she takes a quiz, even fun ones, she always enters a logical state of mind. While this shows she does have some Ravenclaw in her, this isn’t her true House. After reflecting on the traits she currently possesses, she is very clearly a Hufflepuff. However, she argues that this still isn’t her true House. Above all else, this person has always valued honor and courage more than any other traits. She has struggled with bravery her whole life, but she works toward being a braver person every day because that’s who she wants to be. So her true House is Gryffindor.
To know what House you truly belong in, take a look at each Houses’ traits individually. Gryffindor values chivalry, courage, nerve, and bravery. Hufflepuff values loyalty, hard work, justice, and patience. Ravenclaw values wit, intelligence, wisdom, and learning. Slytherin values resourcefulness, ambition, leadership, and cunning. Close your eyes and think. Do you possess this trait? Do you value this trait? Do you wish you had this trait? Then, after going through the whole list, take a look at what Houses’ traits you answered “yes” to the most. This is your true Hogwarts House.
