More and more are making these tests optional. The claim is that they are (unintentionally) culturally biased. My view is, if they think the SAT is culturally biased, they haven't looked very closely at the universities themselves.
Anyway, if applicants opt out of the SAT/ACT they have to submit other evidence of their qualifications.
They don't really prove anything though. For engineering degrees the math section is too easy; for arts degrees it's irrelevant. The English section is all about memorizing a bunch of words you'll never use.
Whether it is a good test depends on what you're trying to measure and what you want a college degree to convey. If a college degree in photography should state _only_ that a person has some knowledge and competence in photography, then I agree.
I think the conferral of a degree is supposed to symbolize more than that, though. An institution's degree asserts some minimum level of education broadly, with an emphasis in the field of study you chose.
There's no reason a standardized test's worth should hinge on what a student might focus on in college. There's no reason any college student shouldn't arrive without a basic grasp of English or math.
Anyway, if applicants opt out of the SAT/ACT they have to submit other evidence of their qualifications.