<p>While US college and university administrators are slowing understanding the real nature of the testing "cartel" and the rather unseemingly connection between ETS and the College Board (not to mention the "official" ranking system that is spreading its tentacles over the globe, American students can get excellent college educations, often at lower cost in other parts of the world.</p>
<p>Why would a young learner want to attend a school that based its admissions on test scores--the great leveler to create homogenized platforms of education? Seek out schools, even in the US, that have their own unique admissions criteria, that conduct interviews, and that expect entrance essays that are not tantamount to your third grade 5-paragraphed theme.</p>
<p>Test score is not everything. At least US schools seek for well rounded students. In UK, you go to school solely based on the test(A-level exams) and essays. Sometimes interviews but not always.</p>
<p>In line with post #3, it's not as if places in Europe or elsewhere have better admissions policies. I've heard in India it's almost entirely test-based for the IITs, with those getting the highest scores going to schools like IIT-Bombay. In Germany you must pass a final high school exam called the Abitur even to be considered for university. Then you rank your preferences for the public schools (they are all public), and you are told which one you've been selected for. And of course in the UK you have specialize much earlier than in the US. </p>
<p>For US schools, I wouldn't confuse students' obsessession with test scores to be a reflection of admissions policies. I don't believe colleges care as much as students do. It's just a very easy way for students to know what's going on and to make sense of their chances and the whole admissions process.</p>