Test-IQ.org: Legit and Accurate?

Here’s everything about Test-IQ.org being legit and accurate:

The Test-IQ.org IQ test is definitely not an accurate IQ test.

It is too short, probably too simple, and it provides no rational basis for its methods of testing IQ.

On top of that, it lacks any verbal processing test at all. It’s hard to say if the test was made with any legitimacy, but it is not generally reliable.

So if you want to learn all about how accurate and legit Test-IQ.org is exactly, then this article is for you.

Let’s get started!

Test-IQ.org: Legit and Accurate? (All the Info)

What Is Test-IQ.org?

If you type “test-iq.org” into your browser, it will pull up a website that is discussing IQ tests and scores.

You’ll see a certificate that says it is a “BMI certified IQ test.” You will also see a claim that it is the USA’s most accurate online IQ test.

As you already read, I dispute that claim, but I’ll get into the full breakdown of accuracy later.

First, it’s important to understand who made the test.

IQ tests are typically unique, and when made well, they are designed to measure specific things in select groups of people.

There’s no such thing as a universal IQ test. People are just too different, so one test won’t work for everyone.

That’s why a review of an IQ test is also a review of the people who made it.

What are they trying to accomplish, and how are they going about it?

About BMI

The test-iq.org site says that it is BMI-certified.

That’s a weird statement to make because the test is in fact made and run by BMI.

BMI stands for Brain Metrics Initiative, and it is a company that was founded in 2015.

Since we’re reviewing the test makers as part of the test-review process, who are the people at BMI?

Well, that’s the first problem.

BMI isn’t exactly transparent in its structure and personnel.

I can’t tell you who runs the company in what capacity. I can’t even tell you why they made an IQ test.

Here’s the limit of what we know for sure about BMI.

The trademark for the company was filed in Virginia by someone named Cimmerian Coleman.

Looking up that name, Cimmerian Coleman appears to be a lawyer in Virginia.

That’s it. That’s what we know, so I definitely cannot use the credentials of BMI personnel to support the value of this IQ test.

IQ tests are surprisingly difficult to make, and they tend to be an application of professional psychological research.

If no psyche professionals are attaching their name to this IQ test, it’s a red flag.

What Goes Into the Test?

Still, not knowing much about BMI doesn’t necessitate that this is a bad IQ test.

It could be possible that legitimate science went into the test, and that’s why we should also judge this test on its own merits.

Once again, BMI transparency would help a lot.

They could have explained why they made the test, what it’s all about, and what went into development.

None of that is available. Instead, I can review the test itself and try to glean information from that.

So, here’s what I have for you.

This is an entirely nonverbal test.

The website absolutely has words all over it, and as far as I can tell, the website is only available in English.

But as for the test itself, it does not have any written instructions.

Theoretically, if you didn’t know a single word of English, you could still navigate the test.

That’s clearly deliberate, and it tells us a few things.

First, it looks a lot like BMI wants to avoid language barriers with this test.

That would allow a single test to compare results from people in different countries and with different linguistic backgrounds.

It tells us something else important. BMI has abandoned verbal IQ testing.

The truth is that there are a lot of ways to go about testing IQ, and there are a lot of reasons to include words in such a test.

Verbal processing is part of the overall intelligence quotient.

A test with no words can’t account for verbal processing. That alone means that this can’t be a perfect IQ test.

But, that still doesn’t mean it’s terrible.

There are good reasons to abandon verbal scoring, especially if the goal is to compare test takers from different regions.

How Accurate Is Test-IQ.org? (2 Points)

There are some problems to consider, but what about the test itself?

How does it compare?

#1 Statistical Analysis

Here’s where we can really get into the nuts and bolts of IQ test analysis.

Based on the presentation, BMI at least understands how an IQ test should be analyzed through statistics.

Their model appears to fit a normal distribution. If that is true, then it’s a sign that the test is built on good principles.

The problem with BMI’s lack of transparency is that I can’t actually evaluate the statistics.

They could be lying about their numbers. It could all be sound science. I don’t know, so the best I can do is take the numbers given at face value.

So, let’s really get into this.

Why does an IQ test need to follow a normal distribution? What is a normal distribution?

It’s another name for a bell curve, and in the world of statistics, it’s important.

A bell curve is perfectly symmetrical, so if you measure something that turns out to be a bell curve, it means that half of the results are on each side of the curve’s peak.

Why does that matter for an IQ test?

Well, IQ test theory tells us that a good measure of intelligence quotient should have a middle score of 100.

From there, every 15 points up or down is significant.

Here’s what’s really happening. An IQ test is not an objective measure of how smart you are.

In fact, that’s not even what it’s trying to accomplish. Instead, the test exists solely to compare people to each other.

When you take a math test, you can get an A on it, which means that you understand the concept.

An IQ test doesn’t work that way. All that matters is how you score relative to everyone else.

So, if the test is good at its job, there should be a median score. Half of all test takers score higher than the median, and half of all test takers score lower.

IQ tests in particular are built around a median score of 100.

So, if a bunch of people took the BMI test, and the middle score turned out to be 114, then it wouldn’t be a good test.

Basically, such a test is too easy, and it messes up the scores.

If the BMI statistics are to be believed, the median score is 100, right where it should be. That’s a point in favor of this test.

#2 Missing Data

Unfortunately, that’s the end of good news for this IQ test.

As I just said, IQ tests are really about comparing people to each other, but that makes testing pretty complicated.

One test isn’t the right way to measure intelligence across all groups in the world.

Let’s look at a really easy example.

Imagine a three-generation family that all lives together. You have a 5-year-old kid living in the same house as their 80-year-old grandparents.

Give any IQ test in the world to the kid and the grandparents. Do you expect them to score comparably? Of course not.

The kid and the grandparents see the world very differently, and they are going to respond to IQ tests very differently, even if you try to overcome the age barriers that exist.

This is why demographic data is really important for IQ testing.

You have to know what you’re comparing in order for it to make any sense.

Even if the BMI test is trying to remove language barriers, there are still very different ways to assess and understand visual comparisons.

If you’re going to compare people from very different parts of the world with a single IQ test, you have to rationalize that choice.

Instead, BMI tells us nothing.

We don’t even know who is taking the test. All we know is that they found a statistical distribution of test-takers.

But, having a high relative IQ means more if you’re being compared to peers than if you’re being compared to a very random group of people across the world.

Without clear population data, you can’t actually derive any meaning from the BMI test results.

Is Test-IQ.org Legit?

So, let’s get back to it. How legit is this test?

Well, there’s no evidence of who made the test, how they went about it, why they made it, or what methods and theories are at play.

That makes it tough to add legitimacy to the test.

On the other hand, BMI does demonstrate a working knowledge of IQ statistical distributions.

This means that there could be some legitimacy involved.

Lastly, there’s no breakdown of the comparisons.

So, even if the test was built on sound principles, the execution of test results is not.

In this way, I lean towards calling it an illegitimate test. Really, it’s in a gray area, so you can make up your own mind.

Is Test-IQ.org Accurate?

Accuracy, however, is another matter.

I can say with harsh clarity that the BMI IQ test is not accurate. For starters, it’s missing all verbal testing.

That’s going to impair the testing accuracy from the start.

While you could justify taking that hit to remove language barriers, there’s no explanation for any of this.

There’s not even evidence that test-takers speak different languages.

On top of that, the test itself has issues.

It consists of 20 tests with a 20-minute time limit. It is very difficult to get a good distribution of results with so few questions.

In fact, this aspect of the test leads me to doubt that BMI is being honest about its statistical results.

20 simple questions that can be answered in 1 minute each doesn’t cut it. You need a broader test to compare broad ranges of people.

Simply put, there is no way that this test can accurately report IQ as it claims to do.

Author

Theresa McDonough

Tech entrepreneur and founder of Tech Medic, who has become a prominent advocate for the Right to Repair movement. She has testified before the US Federal Trade Commission and been featured on CBS Sunday Morning, helping influence change within the tech industry.

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