Is the UC System Bringing Back the SAT or ACT and What Does That Mean For You?
The buzz around California college-bound high school parents these days is:
“Is the UC system bringing back SAT or ACT requirements?"
And for a lot of families, especially those with rising seniors or juniors, that question quickly turns into a bigger worry:
“Do we need to start preparing for testing again just in case this changes my student’s chances?”
The short answer is: The UC system is still test-blind. Nothing has changed.
But the longer answer is more important, because there is activity happening behind the scenes, and the way it’s being reported is creating a lot of confusion.
What has NOT changed
As of now:
The University of California system remains test-blind (that means they don’t use SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions)
SAT and ACT scores are not seen or considered at any UC Campus
So if your student is applying in the next few admissions cycles, the assumption should be simple:
UC admissions do not include standardized test scores right now.
Then why are people talking about testing again?
There is a push from certain UC faculty members to bring testing requirements back.
A group of UC STEM faculty publicly stated that standardized testing (especially math-related scores) should be reinstated for STEM admissions. Their concerns center around academic preparation in quantitative fields, and they cite internal data suggesting that some incoming students are less prepared for college-level math than in the past.
This group has called for:
SAT and ACT math scores to be reinstated for STEM applicants
More faculty involvement in admissions standards
Stronger tracking of student readiness in math-heavy majors
However: This is a faculty-led proposal, not a policy change.
Separate from that faculty letter, UC’s admissions policy committee (known as BOARS, the Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools) is doing its own formal review of admissions practices.
Instead of immediately moving toward reinstating SAT or ACT requirements, BOARS is currently:
Reviewing multiple forms of academic measurement
Examining how well existing high school data predicts college success
Considering alternatives like state standardized assessments in California, alongside GPA and coursework
A key distinction:
BOARS is asking: “What information best predicts student success in UC?”
NOT: “How do we bring the SAT back as quickly as possible?”
The timeline:
Even if changes were eventually approved, UC has a long and formal governance process before anything can take effect.
Here’s what that looks like in plain English:
Workgroups begin studying the issue in 2026
They spend over a year researching and reviewing data
They deliver recommendations in 2027
Those recommendations then go through multiple levels of UC review and approval
Final decisions require approval at the highest levels of UC governance
Based on UC’s own stated timeline:
The earliest possible implementation of any change would be Fall 2029 admissions (students entering UC in Fall 2029). These are rising sophomores (as of summer 2026).
Put into practical terms, that means:
Students applying in Fall 2026, Fall 2027, and Fall 2028 admissions cycles would not see changes in testing policy
The earliest group potentially affected would be students applying in Fall 2028 for Fall 2029 admission
What does that mean for families right now?
Very little
Nothing has changed. Any current high school student wanting to apply to a UC school should focus on the typical criteria:
Course rigor
Academic consistency
Thoughtful extracurricular depth
Clear application narrative
My counseling perspective
When families hear about possible policy changes, the instinct is usually to adjust strategy immediately, but successful students don’t try to time admissions policy shifts. They focus on building applications that hold up under multiple scenarios.
Whether UC changes its testing policy in 2029 or not, the fundamentals of admissions don’t really change. Colleges are still looking for students who are:
academically prepared
engaged in meaningful ways outside the classroom
and able to articulate a clear academic story
That part of admissions stays consistent.
TLDR
UC is still test-blind
SAT/ACT scores are not currently used in admissions
There is ongoing discussion and review, but no policy change
The earliest possible change would be Fall 2029 admissions (class of 2029)
For current students and families:
The smartest strategy is not to react to headlines, but to focus on building a strong, flexible application that holds up no matter how policy evolves.
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