California’s SAT Debate Could Affect Future UC Applicants
California lawmakers are urging the University of California to reconsider its test-optional admissions policy. Here is what students and families should understand while the review continues.
What is happening?
California lawmakers are asking the University of California to move quickly on reinstating SAT and ACT scores in undergraduate admissions.
State Sens. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh and Roger Niello sent a letter to UC leaders urging action. Ochoa Bogh also plans to consider introducing legislation during the next legislative session. Their goal is to have test scores considered as early as the 2027 admissions cycle, for students entering UC in fall 2028.
The University of California has already begun a formal review through its Academic Senate. That process is expected to produce a recommendation by June of next year. Under the current timeline, the earliest a change could take effect would be the 2027 admissions cycle.
For now, no change to UC admissions requirements has been announced.
Why are faculty members divided?
The debate began receiving renewed attention after hundreds of UC faculty members in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics supported bringing back tests such as the SAT and ACT. Those faculty members pointed to widening differences in students’ math preparation.
More than 900 non-STEM faculty members later endorsed a separate letter. Their support suggests that the discussion is not limited to science and math departments, although the concerns about university-level math preparation remain central to the debate.
Supporters of testing argue that standardized scores can provide another measure of academic preparation. They also say test results can help reveal achievement gaps that may otherwise be harder to see.
Opponents are concerned that standardized tests could worsen racial and social disparities in admissions. The University of California Student Association, along with education-access organizations, has argued that testing can be biased against low-income and minority students. The student association also pointed to a substantial increase in freshman applications since the SAT requirement was removed in 2020.
What does the available data show?
The article presents evidence that points in more than one direction. Faculty members have raised concerns about students’ preparation for college mathematics. At the same time, UC’s timely graduation rates have reached their highest levels in the past decade.
During the 2024–2025 school year, the freshman four-year graduation rate reached 74%. The transfer two-year graduation rate exceeded 66%. These figures do not settle the admissions question, but they are important to include in any serious evaluation of the current policy.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has also called for the decision to be based on data, noting that different findings are emerging. The UC Academic Senate’s review is intended to examine that evidence before making a recommendation.
What should students and families do now?
Students should not assume that the SAT or ACT is required for UC admission at this time. They should also avoid assuming that the tests will definitely return. The policy is still under review, and the article does not report a final decision.
Families can, however, stay informed and keep testing as one possible part of their planning. Students who are already preparing for the SAT or ACT may benefit from the additional practice, especially if they are considering colleges beyond the UC system. But students should make decisions based on current admissions requirements and their own college lists, not on predictions about a future policy.
For teachers and tutors, the discussion is a reminder that test preparation should not replace broader academic support. Strong reading, writing, mathematics, and problem-solving skills matter whether or not a college eventually asks applicants to submit scores.
The most important next step is the UC review. Until that process is complete, students need clear information rather than pressure or speculation. A change in testing policy could affect how future applicants prepare, but the evidence and the impact on access should be considered together.