The influence of California's higher education institutions could lead to the demise of the SAT and ACT.
UC Berkeley first announced last May that it wanted to disregard SAT and ACT test scores in admissions decisions for some students in a pilot study. The University of California regents soon followed suit and voted to phase out the tests over five years. In September, a California state judge ordered UC to immediately suspend all use of test scores in admissions. Testing experts nationwide called the Golden State "the prime accelerator" in getting rid of the requirement in the college admissions process.
In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has upended the testing environment nationwide by limiting testing opportunities. The College Board announced this week that it was scrapping the SAT subject tests and optional essays to reduce demands on students amid the pandemic.