Even though more than a thousand colleges let you apply to them without submitting your SAT or ACT, you should be aware of a dirty little secret about admissions officers:
They'd PREFER to see standardized test scores!
Because, despite their flaws, the SAT and ACT are still helpful predictors of how well a student will do in college.
Before I continue, understand that I'm not here to defend either the College Board or the ACT. I'm well aware of the biases that affect kids' scores, especially financial means to take test prep or hire expensive tutors.
Side bar: I'm also old enough to remember the Party Line spoken by the College Board for years: that the SAT was so fair that there was zero advantage to studying for it or hiring a tutor!
Then one day they partnered with Khan Academy to provide classes and tutoring.
Anyhoo, one of the most common...