UC System Re-Allowed to Use SAT and ACT Scores for Admissions
In September, a California judge ruled that the UC system would be unable to use the ACT and SAT in its admissions process. This order would have barred the UC’s from using submitted test scores in their admissions decisions for the current admissions cycle. However, an appellate court later issued a stay order on the judge’s decision pending further investigation. At least for now, the UC’s may use ACT and SAT scores in admissions decisions.
The stay order comes after much speculation on how the UC’s would be able to compare students who did not submit test scores vs. students who chose to submit them. By looking further into the details of the injunction, we received insight into how they plan to compare these two groups of students.
The UC Admissions Office plans to hold a two-pronged review process. In the first review, they will evaluate all students without looking at test scores. In the second review, students who were rejected in the first review but chose to submit test scores will be evaluated again, with test scores now considered.
Moreover, in an excerpt from the judge’s order, “As counsel for UC conceded at the hearing on this matter, test results can only help, and never hurt an applicant. Put another way, the tests are treated as a plus factor and thus test-submitters are given a second opportunity for admissions consideration” (page 5).
This further confirms what we had already suspected: students who choose to submit test scores will be at a big advantage over their peers.
As in years past, the UC’s will accept test score submissions from the December ACT and SAT test administrations. This allows seniors who have so far been unable to test or who didn’t plan to submit test scores because of the previous ruling an opportunity to submit scores with their application.
Of important note is that several of the UC’s have decided to go test-blind this admissions cycle regardless of the outcome of the ruling. View which schools have gone test-optional and which have gone test-blind here.
