The roles of exit examinations (high school exit) and college entrance examinations in four industrialized countries are described. Information was obtained from reviews of educational systems and interviews with small samples of students (at least seven or eight students), parents, and teachers during 1993. All four countries studied, Japan, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, are experiencing a common problem in that their universities, built to educate a moderate percentage of the population, are being asked to accommodate increasing numbers of students. They are left with the alternatives of restricting enrollments to make the universities more elitist or expanding enrollments and watering down the value of the university degree. In all of these countries, entrance and exit examinations are based on a curriculum established by ministries of education. These examinations are closely tied to what students have studied in school. Parents and students expressed satisfaction with the examinations overall, although they noted problems with strong reliance on examinations. They were unable, however, to suggest more desirable procedures. Regardless of the approach taken by governments in these four countries, it seems likely that the number of students selecting a vocational track will continue to lag as long as economic and social advantages of a university degree persist. (Contains 25 references.) (SLD)