Many schools do rely heavily on standardized tests, although in my experience working with over a dozen institutions, most prefer to use information from a students high school academic record as a far better measure of a students likely college performance. In reality, many schools attempt to evaluate thousands of students in a relatively short period of time. Scores are the only objective measurement that can be used in that system. Grade, rank in class, extracurricular activities, essays and recommendations are all subject to whims and vagaries, whether by schools, counselors or the individuals students. Scores, when used as in conjunction with these factors, give us a powerful tool, but clearly an inadequate one.
Every school loses students, which is difficult for students and financially damaging to schools.
I will continue to advocate the use of any measurements that assist us in that pursuit. Unfortunately, there is no possible way we can ever truly know who will meet these criterion. The admission process at best is an attempt to bring some amount of legitimacy to an admittedly self serving and subjective process. I do hope that the book encourages students and parents to be more strident in their efforts to have their opinions heard - and spurs them to seek out more information about which schools really have their interests at heart. It is a sad fact that colleges are selling themselves more and more like any other marketable item.