As most people here are aware, the University of California (UC) has a test-free admissions policy, meaning SAT/ACT scores are not considered at all. The UC dropped standardized tests in 2020 following concerns about bias, inequity, and their limited value in predicting college success. Subsequently, a lawsuit settlement in 2021 cemented this policy, where the UC agreed to not consider SAT or ACT scores in the admission process through Spring 2025.
With the term of the settlement expiring, UC’s Board of Admissions (BOARS) began reevaluating the test-free policy in late 2024 (see UC BOARS meeting notes in December 2024 and January 2025) due to concerns over grade inflation and academic preparedness, especially in math. (BOARS is a part of the UC Academic Senate that “oversees all matters relating to the admissions of undergraduate students.”) Notably, UC Berkeley and UCLA seemed interested in looking at bringing back the SAT/ACT, with UC Berkeley forming a committee to study the issue.
Externally, a February 2025 “Dear Colleague” letter from the U.S. Department of Education argues that removing tests to promote diversity violates federal law under Title VI and recent Supreme Court precedent. Then, in March 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice launched investigations into admissions policies at UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC Irvine for potential violations of anti-discrimination laws.
With internal interest in bringing back the SAT/ACT and external pressure on colleges to make merit-based admission decisions, is it a question of when – not if – the UC’s will reinstate standardized tests?