As an honor student who was certainly challenged by the S.A.T., I have always appreciated the fact that the American college admissions process is multifaceted in its approach toward evaluating students.  Here in the United States, standardized test scores are only one part of the puzzle.  Getting good grades, being able to write a solid essay, and taking part in extra curricular activities are just as important as obtaining high scores on the S.A.T.  Imagine a system that only admitted students based solely on exam scores – that’s how the education system works in China.  Not only do the scores determine if you can move on to college, but also, those scores also place you into a major field of study, with high scorers getting their first choices.  I remember teaching ESL in Hong Kong, and many of my students studying construction were doing so because that’s what the college had accepted them for.  Construction was their fourth choice, and these students could either study construction or join the work force.  I’m so glad to be living in the U.S. where our futures are not determined by one test, and we have freedom to study whatever we wish.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/28/sat-act-not-required-colleges_n_2206391.html