The Neuro Version of the SAT

Jonathan Wai wonders … Could brain imaging replace the SAT? Could lead to better scores for students with test anxiety.

Imagine it's the year 2032.  You are a high school student.  You are at a center where a visual scanner confirms your identity so you can enter a room where you are about to receive a brain scan.  A robot attendant with a soothing voice recommends that you should relax and that you are welcome to take a nap.  As you lie down in the scanner and earphones playing your favorite music block out ambient noise, you find yourself drifting off to sleep.

You wake up.  The scan is now over and there is good news.  You don't have any medical complications.  Rather, you've found out that with your brain characteristics, you have a good chance of being admitted to the college of your dreams.  Why is that?

Well, as you were sleeping, you just took the neuro version of the SAT.