The simpler a rule is, the less likely it gets gamed. Simple as that. As for the standard tests, it baffles me why the US won't take a more rigorous approach like other countries do. At least add word problems, proofs, or in general problems that require some writing.
> And, as far as I know, I think the US is like the only place that doesn't use tests as the primary decider for higher education.
Yeah, it baffles me too. It's also hard for someone outside of the US to understand how even raising such question will be political and worse, racial. For god's sake, we don't need national or even state exams. Universities can simply design their own tests. Britain does that. Japan does that. Germany does that. East European countries do that. India does that. China does that (in addition to their national entrance exams).
How is a simple measure so divisive in the US? Oh well, what is not divisive in the US?
> The simpler a rule is, the less likely it gets gamed.
Why?
As a counterexample, measuring a programmer's productivity by lines of code written is almost as simple as a rule possibly can be, and is extraordinarily easy to game.
By and large, elite US universities are not interested in using testing to pick and choose among the most academically qualified applicants. Instead, they use testing primarily as a cutoff mechanism to distinguish applicants who can probably do the work and applicants that probably can't.
You may not agree, but the system seems to work pretty well.
> And, as far as I know, I think the US is like the only place that doesn't use tests as the primary decider for higher education.
Yeah, it baffles me too. It's also hard for someone outside of the US to understand how even raising such question will be political and worse, racial. For god's sake, we don't need national or even state exams. Universities can simply design their own tests. Britain does that. Japan does that. Germany does that. East European countries do that. India does that. China does that (in addition to their national entrance exams).
How is a simple measure so divisive in the US? Oh well, what is not divisive in the US?