England's Eleven Plus test, German Arbitur and America's SATs are all similar in that, the result of each one of them have a similar impact on the future university/college education of a student.
Eventually, the tests play a major role in the future of a student and the kind of career they might have.
For example, to get into the best universities in the US, you need a high SAT score. A lower one, would automatically push the student into a lower ranked college.