The SAT is, to many, an enigma.

Requiring rigorous hours of studying language arts and mathematics concepts, the Scholastic Aptitude Test, now more commonly known as the SAT, has historically been one of the main deciding factors in whether an applicant would be admitted to a university.

With the recent changes to the SAT, such as the decision to remove the essay portion of the exam, high schoolers are wondering how the SAT will affect their college admissions.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many colleges have actually made their application process test optional – meaning that students do not have to submit their SAT scores for admission. Among those in Texas following this trend are Abilene Christian University (ACU), Baylor University, as well as others.

As of late, there has been a shift away from putting a heavy emphasis on SAT scores when deciding if a student should be admitted, even in schools that still require it. Dana Rolander, a certified educational planner, says that a high school transcript is always going to matter more than an SAT score. She elaborates that an SAT score is typically used to validate an applicant’s GPA, but not weighed separately.

This is because an increasingly large number of colleges are beginning to recognize that standardized testing is not an accurate measure of a student’s knowledge or academic achievement.

“I know people who have really good grades in school but struggle to study for the SAT,” junior Saanvi Bhasin said. “It’s not realistic to think that a test can show how smart someone is.”

Many students agree with this sentiment.

“I know that the SAT is a big deal, but it honestly shouldn’t be,” junior Gia Singh said. “There are better ways to show your learning, and all the stress just makes it worse for our health overall.”

In short, the SAT is not the main deciding factor in college admissions. As the junior class on campus floods to the gym to take the SAT this upcoming March, they should keep in mind that this test is important, yes, but it will not make or break you.

And it definitely doesn’t define you. Colleges care about more than how well you can bubble, and for that, students are grateful.