Selecting Eligible Candidates Using Intelligence Tests - Admission/Application Essay Example

Selecting Eligible Candi s using Intelligence Tests Intelligence tests have been compulsory tests in gaining entry to the most American schools. In addition, the intelligence test determines whether people can get an entry to police or military forces. This makes it out rightly clear that the there is a lot of dependence on the intelligence test to test the capacity of students to excel in school or a certain career as well in determining the skills and abilities of job seekers. The reliance of the intelligence test in determining if an individual has the capacity implies that the intelligence tests should provide a real factual measure of one’s potential. However, survey and observation have proved that the intelligence tests do not give true reflection of an individual’s potential. Critics and research show that some people scoring low in the intelligence test can rise to high levels of competency. In addition, the tests are not comprehensive and show some bias on some aspects. Therefore, intelligence tests should not be the sole determinants of one’s potential in schools and jobs. There is a shift from the traditional intelligence tests to more advanced ones. However, what matters is the definition of intelligence. In the traditional definition, psychologists thought intelligence depended on genetic factors, and it was a single intelligence. Over time, research and observations have shown that many other factors determine intelligence. An understanding of the human cognitive processes indicates that there are different aspects of intelligence. In addition, environmental factor contributes greatly to the level of intelligence. The use of intelligence tests in admission to schools and work places is a misconception. Research shows intelligence tests do not analyze all cognitive process. Therefore, the intelligence tests are not comprehensive enough. This means that the tests are not exhaustive and leave out some aspects. In addition, employers and school directors should realize that the intelligence measure does not automatically translate to competence. Competence is an aspect that depends on a how an individual can learn new rules in a field and apply them. Some people scoring high in the intelligence tests available may not be able to measure up to the required levels. On the contrary, some individuals who score average work their way up to display expertise in some fields. An experimental analysis indicates that an individual can improve the levels of fluid intelligence (Jaeggi et al. 03). From such analysis, one realizes that some people who miss chances because of low intelligence test results are not dumb. Given a fair chance of training, they can show competency and with time, they can display impeccable expertise. What society needs is not intelligence tests to eliminate some people, but rather an analytical procedure that indicates clearly that an individual can show high levels of competency. The fact that intelligence increases over time depending on the challenges life presents, is enough reason why the current intelligence tests should not be in use today to determine the students who are eligible to gain entry to school. Most of the young minds only need exposure to the right type of brain exercise for them to develop an advanced level of intelligence. There are many contributing factors to the performance of a child. Selecting the eligible students based on intelligence test that is not comprehensive is unfair to the students. Schools should realize that each student has the capacity to learn and excel if he or she receives the right motivation and that teachers use varied methods that help students improve on all levels of cognitive processes. The aptitude tests taken by people before getting promotions do not translate to success in the career. Different careers need varying competencies. Intelligence alone may not help an individual excel in life. Intelligence alone proves to be just one aspect that contributes to a human’s success. Recruiting people based on results of this one aspect among many creates a bias. Companies recruiting on such criterion may be leaving out people who can display real talent on the job. Intelligence is a combination of many aspects. All traits defining intelligence are variable. In a population, the ranges of each of the traits show a wide distribution. It is more rational for people to realize that not even the genius will score above average in all these traits. This makes it clear that all have varied ability and capacity in each of them (Gardner 05). In addition, an understanding of the cognitive processes and making effort to improve make the scores different. Therefore, for an intelligent test to deserve credit, it should have the capacity to demonstrate equal consideration of all traits defining intelligence. In the education system, intelligence tests are not a requirement because of any educational goal. On the contrary, these tests exist to help the schools get more funding from the government. The picture would be much different if doing this was for academic purposes. The reasons indicate clearly that it creates an exclusion system rather than an all-inclusive system in education. The system divides students into classes according to the intelligence scores. Society ceases to view all children as deserving equal opportunities. The use of intelligence tests in school admission brands some students the tag of low I.Q. levels. Students in this category lose the confidence that they have the capacity to learn even before they get into school. Even in circumstances where they have a disability in learning, the tag crashes them. The negative effect is too strong that they will never believe in themselves enough to improve even on therapy. Those scoring high on the intelligence scales may end up believing too much in themselves that may have negative effects on their progress. At some point, both categories may stop to make efforts to improve their learning process although for different reasons. Some will think they are too smart, while the others will feel they are too dumb to learn. Human beings constitute the intelligence tests and administer them on fellow humans. All human beings have a sense of imperfection, and error comes in as a barrier to perfection. The questions may have unintended bias or may use the inappropriate vocabulary. The determinants may make biased decisions unconsciously. Some people have taken the tests severally with different results each time. This is clear evidence that the tests are not absolutely error free. Using such tests to choose who is eligible for school or a job is unfair. Standardization of the intelligence test depended on a certain population belonging to certain generation. Applying the same test on a different population of people makes it lose the standardization aspects. In all fairness, the test design takes care of the concerns of a different population. It does not address cognitive processes applicable to the other populations. It is no longer a standard test (Blatchely and Lau 01). The tests came into place during a time when people understood only a single intelligence. They are wrongly present in a society that has advanced to appreciate the existence of multiple intelligences. Language has a great influence on how a student performs in the intelligence test (Blatchely and Lau 02). Non-native speakers seeking entry to a foreign college or university face a bias in the test. For this individual, the intelligence test is not a standard. Lack of sufficient knowledge of the language which the test uses causes many interpretational errors. This test is usually harder for such students and may not bring out a true representation of the student’s real intelligence degree. In conclusion, the intelligence tests do not deserve a place in determining the eligibility of candidates for school or job opportunities. The intelligence tests have lack and do not fairly give a representation of an individual’s capacity. The test should not lead to pronouncing doom to some people. Research shows that multiple intelligences exist and that each individual can improve on integrity levels (Jaeggi et al 03). High scores in the intelligence test do not automatically translate to competency or success in life and career. People should realize that anyone could learn new ideas and display expertise even if they score low in I.Q. These scores do not reflect the real capacity and potential that an individual has. An appreciation that different people have varying capabilities is essential. Each student deserves a fair opportunity to improve his or her intelligence. That will only happen by embracing the fact that there are multiple intelligences and that the I.Q. tests do not reflect this. Works Cited Blatchely, Lionel and Lau, Matthew. “Culturally Competent Assessment of English Language Learners for Special Education Services.” nasponline.org. May 2010. NASP. Feb. 28 2012. Web. Gardner, Howard. “A Multiplicity of Intelligences: in Tribute to Professor Luigi Vighnolo.” llk.media.mit.edu. 2004. Howard Gardner. Feb. 28 2012. Web. Jaeggi et al. “Improving Fluid Intelligence with Training on Working Memory.” pnas.org. 2008. NAS. Feb. 28 2012. Web. Read More