College admissisons tests were a typical thing at least half a century before the timeline presented in your article [0], [1]. In fact, the demand for standardized tests increased in the pre-war period because colleges wanted to broaden their base of students, which had largely become a Protestant elite. Even Harvard's admissions process from the 17th and 18th century was sensitive to designing a test that would not just select for those with privileged upbringings [0].

Historically, the alternative to admissions tests have been social admissions, where you are admitted based on class or family status. Despite all the problems with standardized tests, they are at least nominally meritocratic and independent of what an admissions committee thinks of your upbringing and heritage.

[0] https://commons.trincoll.edu/edreform/2014/05/accepted-the-e...

[1] https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/609506/harvard-universit...