SATs help colleges determine how good you are at taking tests. They are the second most important factor when a college is considering your application during admissions.
The second most important factor is how good you are taking tests...? What's the most important?
We have the GAT that determines similar things, but it means nothing unless they have to derive your exam score because you're violently ill, or something else happens and you can't sit the exam.
True. Julliard, as an example, prefers auditions or a portfolio, which makes sense; a school of music probably wouldn't care that much about your history grades.