The importance of the SAT and ACT has long been a subject of debate among prospective students, parents, and college counselors who fervently search for the secret to unlocking admission at a top university. With more and more students scoring better and better on standardized tests, colleges are beginning to put less emphasis on the standardized tests which keep anxious high school students up at night, and more emphasis on the extracurriculars which paint a more realistic picture of a student’s merits. 

This is corroborated by Brown University’s recent decision to end the requirement for applicants to submit their standardized testing essay scores. Now, with all Ivy League universities dropping the SAT and ACT writing requirements, students are left to wonder whether they should take the essay, and how much time to spend on studying for standardized tests.

The truth is that the dropping of the essay requirements on standardized tests is an indicator that colleges want to see students in a more holistic light. Standardized test scores are now qualifiers that ensure your ability to compete in the main event rather than golden tickets to admission. It is important, for example, that a student has a high SAT/ACT score when applying to an Ivy League university, but it certainly won’t be on admissions officers minds when deciding whether to admit that individual.

A good tutoring service is essential to students who want to familiarize themselves with standardized tests and meet a specific score. However, a student with a 34 on the ACT versus a student with a 36 has an almost equal shot at getting into a top tier school. Once a student has cleared the bar and scored well on the test—as most students in top high schools do—it is up to their extracurriculars to do the heavy lifting and earn them admission.