<p>I posted this in another thread, so I’m just copying this from what I wrote earlier</p>
<p>The ssat allows the school to judge you academically relative to other students, while the essay is a place where you can really make yourself stand out among the myriad applicants. I personally feel the ssat is more important, since it’s quite difficult to write a truly outstanding essay, but if you think that you’re special enough (and have enough english skill) to write an essay that truly reflects who you are, then go for it.</p>