Intelligence tests are fast, accurate ways of determining a person's strengths and weaknesses, and through the study of intelligence test results, schools and institutions can design better courses based on the test-taker's needs. Without a test, a student or parent may continue to waste time teaching a child about areas she already understands while the educator may ignore areas that need the most attention. Institutions such as the U.S. army, however, focus on strengths, finding areas where a test-taker may excel in the future. A psychological report from the University of Michigan states that the U.S. Army uses intelligence tests to identify jobs that best fit the mental qualifications of individual recruits. Instead of years of trial and error and doubt and indecision, a person can find out more quickly where she would do a better job.
Individual intelligence tests are not only valuable for the individual but can be very important for schools and other academic institutions. In a 2009 article from the Washington Post, Patrick Mattimore, an attorney who formerly taught advanced placement psychology in San Francisco, argued intelligence tests "are and should be the primary instrument we use to measure student progress" because they "provide fast results, allowing teachers to provide immediate feedback and corrections." Through the use of these tests, teachers and schools and not only assess current curriculum and teaching strategies but can also make any necessary widespread changes based on trends that develop in test results across the board.
According to the Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders, intelligence tests not only answer academic questions but can also provide information on cultural and biological differences among people. Teachers and scientists can better understand internal issues that are either helping a child or preventing a child from achieving his maximum academic potential. Information collected from intelligence tests can also be used to help someone correct mental deficiencies that interfere in areas outside of academic affairs. Culturally, intelligence tests can determine atmospheric factors that affect someone's academic abilities and again, through the study of test scores, evaluators can pinpoint specific cultural influences and either enhance or decrease these influences depending on what is best for the person.