No doubt SATs and other standardized tests are a "rigged game".... they measure "something"... but what... I dunno?
I always aced them ... got accolades for being a great test taker too
Meh .... those scores don't mean doodly squat in the bigly picture....
"It ain't got no gas in it"
The OP has figured out "life" .... in spades imo.
A LOT of folks here have ... finding a path that works for them.... all differently.