The result of IQ standardized tests is considered to measure human intelligence and is translated into a number. Average quotient is around 100; highly intelligent people have an IQ of around 130, and people with special needs have 70 and less. IQ tests are effective in identifying individuals with special needs early in life so that they can benefit from the full support of special services. They can also identify gifted individuals who can benefit from additional support to enhance their talents.
Intelligence involves skills in reasoning, critical- and problem-solving skills, and adaptation. Yet IQ tests measure mostly the amount and quality of the acquired knowledge, not the potential of an individual in terms of what he will be able to do in the future. They are also considered biased because not all children are exposed to the same curriculum or classroom teaching strategies. Moreover, children come from different cultures and backgrounds, so tests will show just that they followed different educational systems because of circumstances like poverty or social injustices.
Standardized tests are ready-made tests, so teachers are relieved from the burden of spending hours to create them and constantly change or adapt them to different curriculum requirements. Results are available for test takers in a short time, especially for tests in multiple-choice format where scoring procedures involve either computerized scanning or hole-punched grids. They are also practical because they are administered to large numbers of people at the same time within a reasonable time frame.
The results of a standardized test can be unreliable in that they may vary from one day to another for the same candidate, depending on internal or external factors. Standardized tests also measure bits of knowledge, sometimes with no relation between them. They are also considered racially biased because of the preconceived opinion that students of color generally have lower scores in tests. This may lead to preventing capable students from being accepted in colleges or getting scholarships.