Difference between IQ and state exams and how to do well on both
TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2014 11:20 AM

Students prepare for state-mandated assessment season all year long. Some might believe they can't use previous experiences with other exams to their advantage, but in reality, many of the same skills they use for IQ tests can be applied to the tests they take for school. Although there are physical differences between each exam, students can prepare for the experience of taking a test, which can improve their performance in a variety of ways. Here are the differences between state-mandated assessments and IQ tests, and how students can use critical analysis and problem-solving skills to their advantage for both:

What is on the IQ test?
To be clear, no one can study for an IQ test. Students cannot be made aware of the exam questions prior to taking it, as that would be considered cheating. They can, however, preview certain types of questions that might show up during the IQ assessment. For the most part, IQ tests involve seven categories of cognitive ability: verbal, mathematical, visualization, classification, spatial, pattern recognition and logic.

In the verbal intelligence portion of an IQ exam, people are tested on their mastery of words they already know. A diverse vocabulary will be needed to understand each question and answer correctly. Because this portion of the exam is flexible, students will have to be too. This means that in order to score high marks in this section, students should not only be able to recall vocabulary quickly, but read, write and communicate effectively.

In the mathematical intelligence section of an IQ exam, test-takers will be asked to use the numerical skills they possess to answer basic arithmetic questions. This portion of the assessment tests a person's ability to laterally process information and their capacity for flexible thinking. People who have taken the exam say that a general knowledge of geometric shapes and the ability to manipulate equations dramatically improve performance on the mathematical sections of IQ tests. IQ exam designers like to include a mathematical portion to test intelligence because everyday tasks require some type of arithmetical computation.

The visualization, classification, logic and pattern recognition categories can be quite challenging because students may not have much practice in these exercises. In general, the visualization and pattern recognition portions assess a person's ability to make associations between patterns and use that information to solve a problem. The classification category measures a person's ability to organize similar words, ideas, etc., into a cohesive group. In the logic portion, test-takers will be given a set of rules that they must follow in order to arrive at a solution.

What is on state-mandated assessments?
One of the major differences between IQ tests and state-mandated exams is that students will be expected to know certain subject material on the state-mandated assessments, making test preparation a simple, though challenging, task. Teachers can begin preparing students for state assessments at the beginning of the year and work strategically to cover material relevant to possible test questions. Students should be able to recall information on grade-specific material in English language and arts, mathematics and science.  In some states, students will not have to take history or social science portions of the exams until middle school and high school.

How can students use critical thinking and problem-solving skills on both exams?
Although IQ tests and state exams are inherently different, they both still require the ability to analyze questions critically and use that information to efficiently solve problems. Test-takers should utilize their ability to create associations in their mind to their advantage. They might want to consider looking at a question from every possible angle in order to arrive at a possible solution. While certain portions of each exam require rote memorization, it is possible to glean information within the context of a problem. If you can help students hone their critical thinking and problem skills, they should be able to do well on both exams.