Aptitude Tests for Children in School

Since the late 19th and early 20th centuries, aptitude tests have been used to measure abilities, talents, motor skills, reasoning, and even artistic ability. Beyond assessment, aptitude tests help to round out a child's profile. Older children may benefit from aptitude tests that can help them transition to higher education post-high school. As children grow, the kinds of aptitude tests they take change.

IQ Tests

Some of the most well-known aptitude tests are the assessments loosely known as IQ tests. Despite the multitude of IQ tests to be found online, only licensed and school psychologists and psychometricians should administer an IQ test to assess a child's capacity for learning. The most common IQ tests are the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC). Schools use these tests to help decide which children may benefit from special programs.

IQ tests use prior learning, problem-solving, memory, and reasoning to determine the capacity of the child to learn. IQ tests, unlike some other aptitude tests, do not measure artistic or musical ability or creativity in general.

The tests have also been criticized for cultural bias. Some (but not all) children of lower socio-economic backgrounds and children of racial minorities have been shown to score lower on IQ tests than their white affluent counterparts, regardless of intelligence.

Aptitude Tests vs. Achievement Tests

Achievement tests measure what students have learned during the school year; aptitude tests are used to measure the potential ability to learn. Aptitude measures the ability of a student to acquire a set of skills or training by measuring the student's natural talents and inclinations.

Aptitude tests may also be designed to give students an idea of the kinds of careers for which they may be best suited or find most fulfilling. Unlike achievement tests, aptitude tests do not measure subject areas in school and cannot be studied for.

Aptitude Tests for Elementary School Students

For young elementary school students, aptitude tests are often used to gauge students' suitability for special programs, such as for gifted and talented classes or for special education.

Elementary school students may encounter the Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT) for foreign language talent and the Stanford Education Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY) Mathematics Aptitude Test (SEMAT) for mathematics.

Aptitude Tests for Middle School Students

Middle school students may take aptitude tests to qualify for gifted or special ed programs, as elementary school children do. In addition, middle schoolers may also see tests for career aptitudes.

One of these is the Differential Aptitude Test, which tests students on verbal reasoning, numerical ability, clerical speed and accuracy, abstract reasoning, mechanical reasoning, space relations, spelling, and language usage. The OASIS test, for Occupational Aptitude Survey and Interest Schedule, is another common test for students of this age.

Aptitude Tests for High School Students

In addition to the OASIS test, high school students may take other aptitude tests to determine career interests and possible career paths for post-secondary education.

Those who may have interests in the armed services may take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). Other vocational aptitude tests include the Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test (BMCT), and the Differential Aptitude Test (DAT) for grades 7 to 12.