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Honestly SATs don't matter that much.
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This is a gross generalization that simply is not true for all colleges.
The OP asks about "really selective colleges", and when many/most of these schools indicate the importance of standardized test scores to their evaluation process, why would you have reason to doubt their relative importance? Certainly these colleges are not out to mislead applicants, and neither should applicants create any self-delusion that when a college says test scores are "important" or "very important" that they would be anything less.
When evaluating one's admissions' chances, the only thing you have to go by is how the applicant compares against the data of admitted students, correlated to admissions factors. Criteria is relative for each college (in the case of some excellent schools, such as Middlebury College -- a top LAC, they do not require any SAT/ACT scores), and each college's criteria/factors have to be examined individually. With many of the highly selective colleges, factors are weighted for importance, and even then, personal and compelling reasons may make a difference, e.g., URM status, disadvantaged educational or socio/economic environments, etc.
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A 2400 will certainly help but if you have something like 2150 it's almost the same.
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This certainly goes against the grain of any statistical evaluation for most of the highly selective schools. Whereas most all colleges state clearly that test scores are but ONE means of evaluating an applicant's chances for academic success at their respective schools, it's wishful thinking to hope that any given factor can be arbitrarily discounted just because an applicant does not like that part of his/her admissions information. If, as an example, Duke has its middle 50% range of ACT test scores for accepted students at 29 - 34 (25th percentile - 75th percentile), it states clearly that if one's ACT test score fell below 29, it also falls into the lower quartile for accepted students. All other things being equal (and of course, they are NEVER equal in any holistic application evaluation), that level of test score would give a candidate a 1 in 4 chance for admission. I repeat, however, that test scores are but one evaluation factor.
Boo21, in your case, I honestly think that your application will be a coin flip for most of the colleges you have expressed opinion in. I suspect that a re-take of ACT or SAT with improved scores will certainly help. The other factor that may work in your favor is that you are from a rural community in Kansas, and Asian, which happens to put you in the minority in that state. Because national universities seek to have representation from all 50 states if possible, you present extenuating circumstances for the adcoms to consider.
You would do well to control what you can and not try to control what you cannot. Retaking the tests would perhaps help. It wouldn't hurt. It's also within your control. Developing compelling essays that present an added boost to your already impressive academic/EC profile would also help. Again, this is within your control. See the potential shortcomings in your application, and do what you can to resolve them if you can and if you want.
I recognize that it may be frustrating to face up to reality, and sometimes admissions directors at colleges don't help either. They're faced with their own pressures of increasing applications, and they are very encouraging of all students to submit applications. Unfortunately, when acceptance rates for selection colleges range from 10-30%, that means they are rejecting many more than they are accepting. Your chances are very solid, and there are still things you can do to upgrade your prospects. Good luck to you!
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