Updates

250-word (optional) CommonApp essay — very little is truly optional when it comes to college applications, but this is an exception. The College Board added this essay so students can explain how COVID impacted them. It should only be written if unusual circumstances negatively impacted the high school record, and if explaining it will enhance the application.
Many colleges became test-optional — meaning that they don't require SAT or ACT test scores, but if they're submitted, they will be used in the evaluation. Since fewer scores are submitted, the student who is lucky enough to have a high one gets a definite boost in admissions. However, students with great GPAs or strong hooks who don't test well now have a lot more colleges to choose from. Some (like MIT, Georgetown) have gone back to requiring scores.
Test-blind — a few, including the UC system, are test-blind, which means that they will not look at SAT or ACT scores even if submitted. However, some (e.g., UCBerkeley) will still look at other scores, like AP, IB, etc. These policies are up for review, so check the websites.
Whether scores are submitted or not, these policies mean more emphasis is placed on the essay, supplements, and the story the application is telling.