<p>I know people with phenomenal stats who are only applying to UT-Austin because it’s their first choice. There’s nothing wrong with that. Their engineering and business programs are top-notch.</p>
<p>I think you missed the point of that anecdote – that a great SAT score and great numbers (which our valedictorian had) are not everything to a college. She wanted to attend an Ivy, but was rejected from all of them, despite having the numbers</p>
<p>Lower scorers on the SAT and ACT can go on to be extremely successful. The converse is also true. What the SAT does not measure is interpersonal skills, artistic talent, business acumen, etc. Even IQ simply quantifies your CAPACITY to learn, and it more often than not fluctuates across your lifetime.</p>