San Francisco – The University of California’s admissions board has abruptly shelved its plan to study the reinstatement of SAT/ACT requirements, creating uncertainty just a day before the Board of Regents convened in San Francisco. The Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools (BOARS) voted Friday to withdraw its recently announced roadmap, which had intended to convene two work groups to evaluate standardized tests and high school course requirements through next year. This sudden reversal leaves the direction of one of the university’s most closely watched debates unclear, as noted in a tweet by Jaweed Kaleem: > "NEW: UC’s admissions board has abruptly shelved its plan to study bringing back SAT/ACT -- in a move that leaves the direction of one of the university’s most closely watched debates unclear a day before the Board of Regents meets in San Francisco."
The decision by BOARS to pull back its plan was made without a public explanation, and links detailing the study were subsequently removed from the UC website. This move comes six years after the UC system, the nation's most prominent public university, went test-optional in 2020 and later test-free, citing concerns about fairness and equity for diverse applicants. This policy stands in contrast to a national trend where many other elite institutions, including Ivy League schools, Stanford, and Caltech, have recently reinstated standardized testing requirements.
The initial plan to reconsider standardized tests was prompted by growing concerns among faculty, particularly in STEM fields, about students' preparedness. Thousands of professors had signed petitions arguing that the absence of standardized tests correlated with observed "gaps" in math readiness among incoming students. They contended that standardized tests provide a crucial benchmark for assessing academic preparedness, an argument echoed by other universities that have brought tests back.
Following BOARS' unexpected decision, UC Academic Senate Chair Ahmet Palazoglu stated that the Senate was "not rescinding its commitment to a comprehensive review of standardized testing in admissions." He indicated that the Academic Senate would revise its timeline to ensure a thorough, evidence-based review. Later, UC Regents Chair Maria Anguiano set a new, accelerated timeline, expecting a faculty recommendation by June 2027 on whether the system should restore SAT or ACT requirements.
The debate remains deeply divided. Supporters of test-free admissions, including the UC Student Association, argue that standardized tests correlate too heavily with race and family wealth, potentially screening out qualified students from diverse backgrounds. They contend that reinstating tests would "unfairly harm students of color" and run counter to the university's mission of broad access. Opponents of testing also highlight that the UC system saw increased racial and ethnic diversity and no decline in graduation rates after going test-free.
While the testing study is shelved, the Board of Regents is still scheduled to discuss high school course requirements during its public session. The new timeline for a recommendation by June 2027 pushes any final decision on standardized testing further out, leaving future applicants uncertain about the role of SAT/ACT scores in their admission process.
