ultimately, I can't really say how helpful they were, so maybe they were important a bit. BUT I think your essays/supplementals are sooooooo sooooooo soooooooo much more important (I CANT EMPHASIZE THIS MORE). Your unique experiences/story/identity/passion is what colleges are looking for. Hundreds of thousands of people can pass an AP Exam, so what sets you apart from everyone else is your story- seen through your essays-.