This document examines various efforts to reform education by institutions of higher education, by states and local school systems, and by the federal government. It charges that many K-12 reform policies are moving secondary and postsecondary education in disparate directions. Problems identified include a lack of authentic measures for student assessment in relation to college preparation; misalignment between secondary student preparation and college admissions and placement standards; placement of many students in remedial classes; and low retention and completion rates of students at many public institutions. Among the recommendations made for rethinking higher education admissions and freshman placement policies are the following: (1) permit students to substitute subject matter-based external examinations in lieu of standardized placement tests; (2) link admissions standards to external discipline-based state standards; (3) align freshman placement exams with other state standards and publicize placement exam content, standards, and consequences; (4) require writing samples for all admissions decisions; (5) have higher education institutions specify the courses that count toward computing high school class rank and accord appropriate weight for honors and advanced placement courses across all high schools in a state. Appended are Illinois state student education standards. (Contains 19 references.) (CH)