UC Prez Wants to Dump SAT/ACT

From an item for the upcoming Regents meeting:

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 applicants for fall 2025, UC will eliminate altogether the use of the ACT/SAT for freshman admissions.

4. The University will consult with K-12 educators, test experts, the California State University, and UC faculty to evaluate how best to construct a test better suited for the needs of UC (and possibly CSU).

a. The new test will be implemented on an accelerated timeline so that it is in place for fall 2025 applicants.

b. The University will create a public online dashboard for tracking the progress of this process, and will provide regular updates to the Regents.

5. The President of the University will request that the Academic Senate review UC’s current admissions guarantees, including the statewide eligibility pathway and Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC).

6. The President will request that the Academic Senate conduct additional analysis and review of factors contributing to disproportionate representation of California’s diverse high school student population, including review of A-G course access, student outreach, recruitment, and support services.

7. The President will request that the Academic Senate work with the administration to determine the appropriate approach for out-of-state and international students beginning in 2025.

Source: https://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/regmeet/may20/b4.pdf

Note: Items b and c above - possibly due to unclear language - appear to be in partial contradiction. Item b says there will be no consideration of test scores at all in 2023 and 2024. Item c says test scores can be used to demonstate eligibility. Subsequent language in the document does not clear up this matter.