Standardized Testing in Admissions

In Spring 2026, UCIFI convened a multi-campus faculty working group to examine questions surrounding the role of standardized test scores in UC undergraduate admissions. There are several catalysts for this initiative, including the lifting of the injunction that had barred UC from considering SAT/ACT scores through 2025 and the release of a UC San Diego Academic Senate report documenting substantial academic preparedness challenges among recent incoming classes.

The group brings together faculty from diverse disciplines (Law, Math, Sociology, and Education) to review available evidence, analyze recent systemwide data, and assess policy developments across campuses. The aim is not to advocate for a predetermined outcome, but to promote evidence-based discussion, transparency, and careful evaluation of admissions policy.