The Cal State University system is getting rid of the SAT and ACT entrance exams.
The Cal State University system is getting rid of the requirements when it comes to the admissions process for undergraduates. The decision was made yesterday during the CSU Board of Trustees meeting. Officials said students can still submit their test scores if they want to place better in English and math classes. According to a press release, CSU officials have thought about removing the test requirement even before the pandemic. Because of the pandemic, the test score requirement has been suspended since the start of the current academic year. The California State University system currently has 477,000 students at its 23 colleges around the state, while the University of California’s 10 colleges enroll over 280,000 students.
“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 CSU Chancellor Steve Relyea in a statement. Officials are hoping the change will bring the university system closer to its goal of increasing the graduation rate within the next few years, and closing achievement gaps among students of color and low-income students.
The decision by the Cal State and the University of California college systems to make the ban permanent will “set a standard for public higher education around the nation,” according to a university official.