What I am gathering here, is that one can take the Senior Test (whatver it is) at any age, and if he passes the Test, he can then skate in Senior Comp with the Big Boys with no particular jumping skills. At least in the Regionals and Sectionals. What is it about real noncompetitive skaters that must be taken care of? I can only think of money. Anything else?
Senior MIF test: extension edge step pattern, spiral pattern, power pulls with quick rockers and double threes (2 different patterns), serpentine step sequence pattern.
Senior FS test: hardest REQUIRED element is a double Lutz. You can pass the Senior FS test with just the double Lutz and no double Axel or triples if you can also present at an expected Senior level.
You can sign up for Regionals if you passed the appropriate tests and meet the appropriate criteria (age restrictions for Juvenie and Intermediate) without regard to what it takes to be competitive at that level. For some people, just competing at Regionals in the Novice/Junior/Senior level is a goal (and is also required to become a TS). Likely you will not make JNs or Sectionals if you are only able to complete what's required at that test level.
According to an argument that was made when they were considering changing the Senior FS test requirements a couple years back from double Lutz to more difficult jumping elements, I understand that only 1% of skaters who enter the test stream (Prepreliminary MIF) ever pass their Senior FS test.
For skaters that decide at the Juvenile/Intermediate level that they are never going to be competitive (say a 16 year old girl without a clean double Axel who has worked on it for two years already with no success), passing the Senior FS test can become a goal to work towards to keep the skater from quitting the sport altogether due to frustration. It's also a nice goal for skaters that don't start at the age of 5 or who's parents can't afford unlimited lessons/ice time that is required for the skater to progress to the elite levels.
Skating can be a lifetime sport. Most skaters fit into the profile of over achievers and perfectionists who need goals to drive them. If you change the requirements to pass the Senior test, it would drive those that determine that to be their goal out of the sport. Yes, it's about the money (clubs live on their members' dues, test fees, and club freestyle fees along with the volunteer hours of their board members and club members; skaters quitting = less members = less money) but it's also a matter of keeping a knowledgeable fan base. If my avenues for success in the sport were closed (say the Adult programs were cancelled and I could no longer compete against other adult athletes at a similar skill level) and I became bitter about that, I would likely drop skating in favor of another hobby (therefore I would pay no club dues, my club would lose an officer and a bucketload of volunteer hours) and I would no longer pay attention to figure skating (loss of viewership = loss of TV revenues).
Many people on this forum are observers of the sport and follow only the highest level of the sport (Nationals qualifiers, Nationals, Euros/4CC, Worlds, Nationals, GP) and as such don't ever really consider the recreational skaters who are the ones that provide some of the money that goes to the enveloped skaters (through dues and test fees, although the majority of that envelope money comes from TV revenues) and who pay to be on the freestyle sessions alongside the Sectional competitor. Say a rink charges the club $250 per hour for ice time (which is actually on the low side where I live). In order for the club to break even, at $10 per hour per skater, they would need 25 skaters on the session. Where are those skaters going to come from if not from the recreational ranks? What are the chances of really having 25 on that session? If the club doesn't and the money has to come from the club's bank account, where does that come from, especially if you drive the recreational skaters out?
