Students who apply to the 10 schools that makes up the University of California system will no longer have to submit SAT or ACT scores, according to The New York Times. The tests will no longer be used to make admissions or scholarship decisions.
“The Board of Regents had already decided in May 2020 that SAT or ACT scores would not be considered for fall 2023 admissions and beyond,” UC officials said, according to The Mercury News. “And all the UC campuses have announced plans not to consider SAT or ACT scores for fall 2022 admissions.”
The action came as a result of a 2019 lawsuit that had been filed by some students. The settlement was announced on Friday.
“[The] settlement ensures that the university will not revert to its planned use of the SAT and ACT — which its own regents have admitted are racist metrics,” said Amanda Mangaser Savage, a lawyer representing the students.
There had been a previous debate regarding whether the standardized tests discriminated against students with disabilities and those from underrepresented backgrounds. The students who are against the standardized tests now hope an increasing number of students will have access to colleges in the University of California system.
Around 225,000 undergraduates are enrolled at schools in the University of California. The University of California is now the biggest and most well-known system nationwide to make this decision regarding standardized testing. However, the College Board still defends the use of standardized tests and asserts they can help increase diversity.




