Yesterday, Thursday, May 21, the University of California (UC) Board of Regents unanimously voted to eliminate the SAT and ACT as a requirement for all first year applicants by 2025. Over the next five years, the UC will phase in the elimination of the SAT and ACT scores from consideration in first year admissions.
For Fall 2021 and Fall 2022 applicants, or students who are currently high school juniors and sophomores, submitting SAT or ACT scores is optional. If the student chooses to submit test scores with their application UC admissions officers will review the scores.
Fall 2023 and Fall 2024 applicants, or current high school freshmen and those currently finishing the 8th grade, will not be required to submit SAT or ACT scores, nor will scores be considered in first year application evaluations.
By Fall 2025, University of California officials and the Regents are debating whether to create a standardized assessment specifically for UC applicants or eliminate all test scores from first year admissions. The final decision has yet to be announced.
While the UC is the highest-profile public university system to eliminate the requirement for SAT and ACT scores with first year applications, how the lack of required test scores will affect admissions evaluations is another question, which we’ll tackle in a second post.
Since 2003, Jill Yoshikawa, EdM has advised families about complex educational and college admissions questions, including how an applicant can benefit from test-optional admisisons. Contact her at (916) 769-6092 or [email protected] to schedule a consultation.
