UC Considers Reinstating SAT/ACT Requirements in Major Policy Reversal

The University of California system is actively debating whether to reinstate SAT and ACT requirements for undergraduate admissions, a potential reversal of its landmark 2020 decision to eliminate standardized testing from its admissions process. According to recent reporting from the Los Angeles Times, the UC Board of Regents is being asked to consider bringing back the tests, reigniting a contentious debate about equity, merit, and college readiness in the nation's largest public university system.

The use of standardized testing for admissions was eliminated by the UC regents in a controversial 2020 vote, making the system one of the most prominent adopters of test-optional policies. Now, just six years later, university leadership is reconsidering that position. As reported in a July 8, 2026 column, "The University of California Board of Regents is being asked to consider whether to bring back the SAT and ACT for admissions, a debate so hot..." (Los Angeles Times).

This development comes amid a broader national trend of selective institutions reinstating testing requirements. Stanford University reinstated testing in June 2024, effective for students entering in Fall 2026 onward, and many Ivy League institutions brought back SAT-mandatory requirements from February to April 2024 after going test-optional during the COVID-19 pandemic. The UC system's potential reversal would represent one of the most significant policy shifts in higher education admissions, given its size and influence as a public university system serving over 280,000 students.

While no formal decision has been announced, the mere consideration of reinstating standardized tests marks a notable development in the ongoing national conversation about the role of testing in selective college admissions. The UC system's deliberations are being closely watched as a potential bellwether for other large public university systems considering similar reversals of test-optional policies.