Office of the President - To the Members of the Board - Action Item - For the Meeting of May 21, 2020 - Executive Summary

Sep 14, 2026

Executive summary for a University of California presidential action item recommending that the Regents approve a suspension of the standardized testing (ACT/SAT) requirement for undergraduate admissions through 2024. The proposal follows findings from the Academic Senate’s Standardized Testing Task Force and related admissions reports, and it responds to ongoing COVID-19 impacts. It outlines a shift from test-optional for certain applicant years to test-blind selection for 2023–2024, with continued use only for eligibility for the statewide admissions guarantee, scholarships, and course placement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Executive Summary

Recommendation

Suspension and admissions selection changes (2021-2024)

Process to identify or create a new test

Contingency if a new test is not ready by 2025

Background

B4 Office of the President TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD: ACTION ITEM For the Meeting of May 21, 2020 COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM USE IN UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In this action item, the President of the University recommends that the Regents approve a suspension of the current standardized test (ACT/SAT) requirement for undergraduate admissions until 2024 to allow the University to modify or create a new test that better aligns with the content UC expects applicants to have learned and with UC’s values. If UC is unable to either modify or create a test that can be available for fall 2025 freshman applicants from California high schools, the President recommends that UC eliminate altogether its standardized testing requirement for admissions for California students. This recommendation is based on the findings and recommendations of the Academic Senate’s Standardized Testing Task Force (STTF), which was convened in January 2019 to examine UC’suse of standardized tests, as well as on the recommendations of the Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools’ (BOARS) 2001 and 2009 reports on the role of standardized tests in admissions. BOARS is a UC Academic Senate Committee tasked with managing all matters related to the admissions of undergraduate students. It regulates the policies and practices used in UC’s admissions process. The President’s recommendation also acknowledges the likely ongoing impacts ofthe COVID-19 pandemic on students, families, and schools. To mitigate impacts ofCOVID-19, in March 2020 the Regents approved suspension of the current standardized test requirement for all fall 2021 applicants. This made UC “test optional”. The President recommends that UC remain test optional for an additional year, that is through 2022. The recommendation is that for two additional years, 2023 and 2024, UC be “test blind”. For those two years, students would still have the option of submitting a test score, but that score could only be considered for purposes other than admission selection, such as course placement, certain scholarships, and eligibility for the statewide admissions guarantee. By 2025, any use of the ACT/SAT would be eliminated for California students and a new, UC-based test would be required. If, by 2025, the new test is either not feasible or not ready, consideration of the ACT/SAT would still be eliminated for California students. RECOMMENDATION The President of the University recommends the following for approval by the Board: 1. The University of California will suspend the current standardized test (ACT/SAT) requirement for undergraduate admissions until 2024. a. For fall 2021 and 2022 applicants, campuses will have the option to use ACT/SAT test scores in selection consideration if students choose to submit them. b. Beginning with fall 2023 applicants and ending with fall 2024 applicants, campuses will not consider test scores for admissions selection at all, and will practice test-blind admissions selection. This recommendation applies to students enrolled in California public and independent high schools. c. During the full period of suspension, from 2021-2024, students will have the option to submit an ACT/SAT score for use in calculating eligibility for the UC statewide admissions guarantee, and for use in scholarship consideration and post-enrollment course placement. d. The University of California will eliminate altogether the SAT Essay/ACT Writing Test as a requirement for UC undergraduate admissions, and these scores will not be used at all effective for fall 2021 admissions. 2. Starting in summer 2020 and ending by January 2021, UC will undertake a process to identify or create a new test that aligns with the content UC expects students should have mastered to demonstrate college readiness for California freshmen. 3. If UC is unable to either modify or create a test that meets these criteria and can be available for

FAQs

What does the President recommend the Regents approve regarding ACT/SAT requirements?

The President recommends suspending the current ACT/SAT standardized test requirement for undergraduate admissions until 2024.

How will admissions selection change from fall 2023 through fall 2024?

Campuses will not consider test scores for admissions selection during fall 2023–2024, using test-blind selection for eligible California public and independent high school students.

When will UC eliminate ACT/SAT use for California students if a new test is not ready?

By 2025, ACT/SAT use would be eliminated for California students; if the new test is not feasible or not ready by then, ACT/SAT would still be eliminated for freshman admissions.

Sep 14, 2026

Uploaded by Sophia Brooks