Role of cognitive assessment for high school graduates prior to choosing their college major.

All participants were healthy male college students at one university, so the results may not apply to female students, clinical populations, or other institutions. The students were not randomly assigned to computer science or art programs, so the study cannot show that the academic program caused the cognitive differences. The study compared different junior and senior students rather than following the same students over time, and it does not state that the same participants were assessed at both levels. The paper does not report how TONI-3 scores relate to occupational performance, career choice, or patient outcomes. The discussion offers possible explanations such as curriculum, teaching style, GPA, and bilingual exposure, but these were not tested in the study.

The authors declared no conflict of interest.

Do not conclude that computer science improves cognitive ability or that the TONI-3 should be used to guide college major selection. The study compared existing groups of healthy male students and did not assign them to programs, so it cannot separate program effects from prior ability, admission requirements, or other differences.