I believe enrollment management professionals when they say they don’t need test scores to adequately evaluate an applicant, and determine fit for said school. If the applicant submits a score they look at it, if no score they don’t use it (nor do they make judgments about what that score was).
This overstates the importance of scores in the process, at least at some schools. Have you heard from any AO that this is their process and thinking? Or are you just guessing?
I would vote for this too. Unfortunately, I am not in charge of any school’s test policy.
Most schools don’t do this. We know of some that do. Tulane has done this, and maybe that will change now that admissions has new leadership. We do know, from prior enrollment management leadership, that Tulane’s Trustees care about their USNWR ranking.