This is what ‘The Making Caring Common Project’ at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education has to say about college admissions priorities. You have to do some reading, but it’s well worth your time.
The 2016 report:
“Turning the Tide: Inspiring Concern For Others And The Common Good Through College Admissions”
http://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/collegeadmissions
from "Turning the Tide … " which includes the recommendation to make tests optional
“Recommendation #4:
Options for Reducing Test Pressure
Admissions offices and other stakeholders should work together to reduce unfair advantages and reduce undue pressure associated with admission tests (SAT and ACT). Options for reducing this pressure include: making these tests optional, clearly describing to applicants how much these tests “count” and how they are considered in the admissions process, and discouraging students from taking an admissions test more than twice. Colleges and testing companies should convey that taking the test more than twice is very unlikely to significantly improve students’ scores. Colleges should provide data that validate how scores are related to academic performance at their particular institution.”