You may have to take the test because it is an admission requirement of the college you are interested in attending. Many colleges require the SAT I for admission because it is a standard way of measuring a student's ability to do college-level work. Because courses and grading standards vary widely from school to school, scores on standardized tests, like the SAT I, help colleges compare your academic achievements with those of students from different schools.

Colleges look at other things when making admission decisions -- like your high school record, essays, recommendations, interviews, and extracurricular activities. Your SAT I test score is just one of many tools that help colleges make admission decisions.