<p>I thought the article was well worded but poorly thought out. As said above she overstates the importance of the SAT in the admissions process, and then builds a logical argument on this poor foundation. A good SAT doesn’t get you into a selective school, but a low SAT can surely keep you out. But what is a low SAT? 1850 is not a bad SAT if the admissions officer is familiar with your lack of educational opportunities. They may not have the financial information, but they do know many of the high schools and zip codes and their admission track records.
Also, one needs some preparation for a school like Columbia. If a low SAT (I mean below 1700) is a reflection of lack of opportunity rather than lack of ability, one might not have sufficient training for Columbia.</p>