Many colleges are now dropping standardized tests. Having been around many, many high GPA, lower than expected test score students, I'll offer some small sample thoughts. For brevity, I'll refer to these students as GPAers.
GPAers tend to be hard working memorizers. On the plus side, they seldom sink into lifestyles of nihilism or detached irony. But they struggle with difficult abstract ideas, often frustrated, eventually deciding the abstract ideas must be worthless. When struggling, they demand test retakes or extra credit opportunities. They get angry at teachers when students they regard as inferior understand subjects better than themselves.
Many GPAers avoid classes with difficult abstract ideas, which is good. A top National Honor Society student from my high school was in my modern physics class. Modern physics is an easy class--no differential equations or other difficult math. She withdrew from the class in utter confusion, costing her time and money. GPAers sometimes become valedictorians without taking any available advanced placement classes.
GPAers trend toward opportunism and conformity. They reject ideas outside popular Overton windows. They place great value on formal secondary education for themselves and their children--while higher test score, lower GPA students often regard secondary education classes as sick jokes, massive time sinks.
In the work force, many GPAers realize their limits. But other GPAers, often in positions of power, resort to insipid slogans and agreement with evil above them.
Good ethics is abstract and complex. Evil is easy. While most courses at colleges shouldn't exist, there are some beneficial subjects that require high IQs, along with hard work. Thus, standardized test scores should continue to be used when weighing college applications.
