Agree. I heard an admission officer from an Ivy League school specifically address this topic. He said that his school changed the SAT II to recommended from required so as to not put people at a disadvantage who 1) come from an area where SAT II exams are not typically offered and 2)so as not to hurt disadvantaged applicants who may have trouble paying for the additional exams. This makes me believe that a student who can schedule and pay for the exams should do so, especially when he/she will be applying to very competitive colleges.