I definitely agree with individuals taking actions within the system to optimize their chances is fine (e.g. targeting colleges that don't require standardized

I definitely agree with individuals taking actions within the system to optimize their chances is fine (e.g. targeting colleges that don't require standardized testing if the applicant doesn't do well on those tests, but not things like the fake sports recruiting that was in the news a year or so ago). I may be biased as I did well on standardized tests. I have family members that volunteer to do admissions interviews as alumni of a very major name university. They both mention how gamified some applicants are taking the process, with some high school students' parents essentially buying them research opportunities and other experiences to talk about on their applications. While standardized testing is influenced by family wealth and resources, I'm convinced standardized tests (SAT/ACT/AP/etc) are the least influenced part of college admissions, and thus should remain in some form.