Facebook Twitter
Monday, October 2, 2023 | 
Education U.S. & World Utah

The largest 4-year university system in the U.S. is dropping the SAT and ACT

California State University drops SAT and ACT admission requirements for undergraduate admissions

By Gitanjali Poonia Gitanjali Pooniagpoonia@deseretnews.com
SHARE The largest 4-year university system in the U.S. is dropping the SAT and ACT
AP22082710508567.jpg

Students walk on the University of California, Berkeley campus in Berkeley, Calif. California State University, the country’s largest four-year university system, will eliminate SAT and ACT standardized tests from its admission requirements in a move that places California’s public universities at the forefront of a national trend to drop the exams. The CSU board of trustees unanimously approved the shift at a meeting, Wednesday, March 23, 2022, joining the University of California in adopting a “test free” admissions process.

Marcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press

In an effort to eliminate high-stakes exams because of equity concerns, California State University, the country’s largest four-year university system, announced it is eliminating standardized tests for undergraduate admissions.

Details: The university system had already dropped standardized testing requirements, SATs and ACTs, for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years because of the pandemic.

“This decision aligns with the California State University’s continued efforts to level the playing field and provide greater access to a high-quality college degree for students from all backgrounds,” said Acting Chancellor Steve Relyea.

“In essence, we are eliminating our reliance on a high-stress, high-stakes test that has shown negligible benefit and providing our applicants with greater opportunities to demonstrate their drive, talents and potential for college success,” he explained.

Flashback: This news comes after the University of California system made the landmark decision to suspend ACT and SAT requirements for admissions through 2024 and eliminate them for California students by 2025, per The New York Times.

California State University’s 23 schools and the University of California's 10 schools collectively educate over 700,000 students.

Expects said: “Today’s decision ... sets a standard for public institutions around the country,” said Bob Schaeffer, executive director of FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing, per The Los Angeles Times.

“Combined with the elimination of standardized exam mandates by the University of California system as well as test-optional policies in place at all public campuses in Oregon and Washington state, these actions make the West Coast a national model for admissions reform.”