SACRAMENTO, Calif., July 19 (Our California Times) — The University of California is again weighing whether SAT and ACT scores should be part of undergraduate admissions. For California students and families, the practical question is simple: if UC restores a testing requirement, future applicants could have one more deadline, one more test fee, and one more thing to prepare for before applying.
But nothing has changed yet for current applicants. UC has said any restored testing rule would not take effect before the fall 2028 application cycle at the earliest.
What is UC deciding?
UC is reviewing whether standardized tests should return as part of admissions after the Board of Regents unanimously removed SAT and ACT requirements in 2020.
The review is happening through UC’s shared-governance process. That means faculty review comes first, and the Regents would still have to approve any final change.
UC Academic Senate Chair Ahmet Palazoglu said in a UC Office of the President statement that “The Academic Senate is not rescinding its commitment to a comprehensive review of standardized testing in admissions.”
Why is the debate back now?
The latest review grew out of faculty concern that some incoming students may not be as prepared for college-level math and writing as UC wants. In June, UC said it would reopen the question after receiving faculty letters calling for a fresh look at student preparation.
That pressure has come from inside the university system as well as from outside it. One set of faculty open letters reportedly gathered more than 1,400 STEM faculty signatures. Another set drew more than 3,000 signatures from faculty urging UC to reconsider standardized testing.
At the same time, the UC Student Association has opposed bringing the tests back, saying reinstating them would not improve student preparedness.
Who is making the recommendation?
Two faculty-led work groups are leading the review. One is looking at whether UC should require the SAT, ACT, or the Smarter Balanced test. The other is reviewing high school course requirements for UC admission.
That matters because the debate is not just about a test. It is also about what UC wants students to study in high school and how the system measures readiness for college work.
What did the Regents say about timing?
At the July Regents meeting, Regents Chair Maria Anguiano said the Academic Senate should deliver a recommendation by the end of the current academic year, around June 2027.
That is faster than the Senate’s earlier timeline, which had pointed to a final report in fall 2027.
UC has said that even if testing returns, the earliest it could affect admissions would be the fall 2028 application cycle. That would give campuses time to update admissions systems, guidance, and outreach before any change reaches applicants.
How did UC get here in the first place?
UC dropped SAT and ACT requirements in a unanimous Regents vote in 2020. Later legal action further limited the system’s use of test scores, with a settlement described in later court-related coverage keeping SAT and ACT scores out of admissions through spring 2025.
One report on the earlier policy shift said UC never developed the new UC-specific test that had once been contemplated as an alternative.
What would a new policy mean for students?
For high school students, especially juniors and seniors, the biggest effect would be on planning.
If UC restores a test requirement, students may need to add SAT or ACT prep back into their schedules, look for fee waivers, and decide whether to take the test more than once. Teachers and counselors would also need to adjust how they advise students about college planning.
For families, the issue is partly about access and fairness. Supporters of a test requirement argue it can provide UC another measure of academic readiness. Opponents say standardized tests can disadvantage students who have fewer resources for test prep or less access to tutoring.
UC leaders have tried to frame the discussion as one part of a broader admissions review, not as a single score deciding a student’s future. Former UC President Janet Napolitano has said a standardized test score “shouldn’t be a sole factor” in deciding access to UC, while also noting that a review could conclude test scores should still be “a factor.”
What should applicants watch next?
The next milestone is the faculty recommendation expected by the end of the academic year. After that, the Regents would still have to vote.
Until then, UC applicants should assume the current policy stays in place. Any return of testing would come later, and the university has already said it would not arrive before fall 2028 if approved.
