Could cognitive testing like MyIQ support student success and inclusive hiring at the universities?

As universities adapt to the evolving needs of Gen Z learners and a rapidly changing job market, the way we assess and support cognitive potential is shifting. Traditional GPA metrics and standardized test scores are being questioned — and new tools like MyIQ.com are emerging as possible complements to a more holistic understanding of intelligence. But what role, if any, can platforms like MyIQ play in academic development and workforce readiness?

Beyond ranking: rethinking IQ and MyIQ as tools for insight

Cognitive assessment has long been used in high-stakes environments — piloting, finance, medicine — but it has rarely been framed as a developmental resource in higher education. MyIQ aims to change that by offering users a detailed breakdown of how they perform across different cognitive domains: logical reasoning, memory, processing speed, spatial skills, and more. Instead of boiling intelligence down to a single number, it offers a profile — one that students can use for self-awareness, and universities could use to personalize academic support.

For example, a student scoring high in spatial reasoning but lower in verbal memory might benefit from different learning strategies, tutoring, or course formats. Rather than using IQ as a filter, it could become a diagnostic tool — similar to how UMN already uses academic advising and learning analytics to intervene early with struggling students.

Aligning cognitive strengths with roles and majors

Incorporating a tool like MyIQ into first-year orientation or career development services could help students better understand how their brain works — and how that might align with specific majors or professional paths. This doesn’t mean using IQ to gatekeep programs, but to better match students with environments where they’re more likely to succeed and stay engaged.

Similarly, in career centers or internships, MyIQ scores could inform soft-skills coaching, project team building, and resume workshops. Some HR departments in the corporate world are already exploring cognitive data to build more complementary, cognitively diverse teams — not for exclusion, but for collaboration. Universities could take a similar approach.

IQ skepticism and Gen Z’s priorities

Of course, there’s growing skepticism about IQ tests, especially among younger generations. Gen Z students tend to view intelligence as multifaceted and situational — not something that can or should be ranked. Many have watched friends succeed on platforms like YouTube or TikTok without traditional academic pathways, and they’re wary of systems that seem to reduce human potential to a score.

But tools like MyIQ can actually complement this mindset — when framed correctly. If presented as a mirror, not a metric, cognitive testing can support Gen Z’s interest in personalization, growth, and self-optimization. The key is positioning it not as a judgment, but as one data point among many.

A case for pilot use in student support and onboarding

A low-risk way to explore the value of MyIQ would be through pilot programs. For example:

• Offering free assessments during orientation and pairing results with academic coaching
• Providing MyIQ summaries as optional context for peer tutoring or writing center visits
• Creating workshops where students reflect on their cognitive profile and how it relates to time management, problem-solving, or communication
• Using anonymized cognitive data to shape team composition in project-based courses

Intelligence in the workforce: more than test scores

From an employment perspective, MyIQ has potential as part of UMN’s career readiness strategy. Employers increasingly want candidates who are not only knowledgeable, but cognitively adaptable — able to learn quickly, manage complexity, and collaborate with others who think differently.

Including cognitive profile summaries (voluntarily and ethically) in career advising could help students present themselves more fully to potential employers — especially in competitive fields like consulting, engineering, or research. It could also benefit students without “brand-name” internships or elite GPAs by providing insight into their thinking style.

The limits of testing — and the opportunities of self-awareness

IQ scores are not destiny. They don’t measure emotional intelligence, creativity, perseverance, or cultural context. But when used alongside qualitative tools — portfolios, mentorship, advising — they can become part of a broader strategy for helping students understand how they learn, where they excel, and how they might grow.

MyIQ doesn’t claim to replace classroom experience, and it shouldn’t. But it does offer something universities increasingly need: scalable insight. The question isn’t whether to judge students by their cognitive scores — but whether to give them a chance to understand those scores on their own terms.