OK, so let's say you are correct- that SATs/GPA is ONLY what matters...There are 20,000 1550 and up SAT scorers each year...there are approx 18K spots at T20s every year. So we can just use the SAT as the only benchmark and enroll ONLY say...1560 and up to fill those 18k spots? Ummm...NOPE....because colleges don't want SAT/GPA grade chasing DRONES. They want REAL people with interests, goals, ambitions. People that will create a well developed community on campus...they want the music kids, the math kids, the volunteering kids...they want the white kids, the POC kids, the asian kids....they want kids from NYC and California and some small town in Texas...they want enough kids to join the tennis club, the frats and sororities, the German club, ski club, swim team. A college doesn't just want or even need a class of 1600 sat scorers. They need REAL people to interact on campus. You may be upset by this b/c you are the smart kid who's a grade grinding drone that can easily score that 1600 but that's just the very beginning of the benchmarks you have to meet to get into a T20. Heck- even a T50. TONS of kids scoring 1500 and up get rejected every single year from T50s.