
ACT shares in the belief that every student, regardless of their economic status, race or ethnicity, age, gender or gender identity, or geography should have the tools, support and resources they need to succeed in college and career.

Eliminating standardized testing requirements for the UC system would, in practice, increase the very inequity that the Regents seek to fix.

ACT stands ready to partner with the University of California’s Board of Regents to level the playing field in college admissions, so the dream of a higher education is within reach for all students who seek it.
Helping to Prevent Inequality
While addressing inequity issues in our current education system, some have questioned the use of standardized testing as a factor in college admissions decisions. While well-intentioned, the current policy discussion on standardized testing ignores decades of research findings that show test scores are a valid, reliable and effective indicator of students’ readiness for college.
In January 2019, the University of California (UC) was tasked with examining the use of standardized testing in UC admissions—including whether to remove testing requirements altogether. After a year of study, the 20-member Standardized Testing Task Force (STTF) released a report concluding that standardized tests remain a valuable tool for predicting student success in college and are not a driver of inequity. The STTF recommended continued use of standardized testing in UC admissions decisions.
More Than Just a Number
Last year the UC system received a record-breaking 215,000 applications, with a subset of its colleges representing the top six schools applied to in the nation. With this enormous volume of applicants, UC admission offices should have all the tools available to make holistic decisions that recognize and account for the inherent inequities in the education system.
Standardized Testing
- Levels the playing field
- Counters grade subjectivity and inflation
- Accurately predicts Performance
- Verifies appropriate course placement
- Identifies achievement gaps
University of California Task Force Findings
- Standardized testing does not worsen disparities for underrepresented minority applicants
- Standardized tests are better predictors of a student’s first-year success, retention and graduation from college than high school grade point average
- Eliminating testing would increase emphasis on a student’s high school grade point average, which is already impacted by varying grading standards and grade inflation
Bridging Achievement Gaps
Eliminating standardized testing does not address the systemic issues at the root of educational inequities in our education system. Standardized testing provides critical data on underserved groups that help identify achievement gaps, target areas for growth and increase college readiness. School administrators cannot fix what they do not see. Standardized testing provides a valuable window into student outcomes.
Dedicated to Equity for All Test-Takers
ACT and its coalition of partners are committed to partnering with California’s university system to address equity and access to higher education by making every effort to ensure that testing is fair for all test-takers.
For ACT specifically, potential ACT test questions are put through a thorough internal and external review process, and test results are systematically studied across demographics and geographies to guard against any biases. Through collaborative partnerships with non-profits and advocacy organizations, ACT is also providing the following programs and resources to help level the playing field and bridge opportunity gaps in disadvantaged communities:
- ACT’S CENTER FOR EQUITY IN LEARNING
Provides invaluable research on college readiness and existing equity gaps. Breaks down cultural barriers and leverages partnerships with community organizations to advocate for data-based solutions - FINANCIAL AID—FEE WAIVERS
Nearly 55,000 fee waivers were provided to California students in 2019, valued at more than $3.7 million. Beginning September 2020, ACT will increase the number of fee waivers for eligible students from two to four, providing the opportunity to retest only in the subject areas which they seek to improve their scores. - FREE TEST PREP RESOURCES
All students have access to the ACT Academy which provides video lessons, interactive practice questions, full-length practice tests, and games designed to help improve learning and readiness based on students’ academic needs. - ACCOMMODATIONS FOR DISABILITIES
Students who have documented disabilities are offered appropriate accommodations during the tests. - SUPPORT FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS
Assistance is offered to support students who are English learners.
In an effort to address systemic issues of inequity in the American higher education system, some have questioned the use of standardized test scores as a factor in college admissions decisions. In January 2019, the University of California (UC) Academic Senate was tasked with examining the use of standardized testing in UC admissions—including whether to remove testing requirements altogether.
Below are several key proponents in support of keeping standardized testing in UC admissions. These supporters range from across academic institutions, community-based organizations and major national newspapers.
“UC system should keep the test scores. Doing otherwise because of political or legal pressure or even personal beliefs would belie the very foundation of great universities, which pride themselves on openminded inquiry and fact-based decision making.”
– Los Angeles Times Editorial Board
“The key to expanding college opportunity isn’t to eliminate testing but to demand more choice and accountability in K-12 schools.”
– Wall Street Journal Editorial Board
“…dropping standardized tests such as SAT/ACT requirements from admissions will create unintended harms against children growing up in underrepresented communities. It exacerbates the issues of “grade inflation” and serves as a bandage to cover up the education achievement gap...”
– Yukong Zhao, President, Asian American Coalition for Education
“The fairest reading of the evidence is that the SAT and the ACT have tremendous value, precisely because they are the only truly uniform, objective and predictive ways to compare candidates with widely varying academic and socioeconomic backgrounds.”
– Jonathan Wai, Professor of Education Policy, University of Arkansas
“Going test-optional makes us feel like we’ve removed a barrier to college access, but it doesn’t change the underlying dynamics that brought about the test gap in the first place.”
– Yoon S. Choi, CEO, College Spring
“While tests should not be the sole basis for admissions, studies show they have real predictive validity and should indeed be part of admissions processes.”
– Alex Small, Professor of Physics, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
“What matters more than a decision on whether to stop using standardized tests is a broader push to help minority students get better high school educations.”
– San Diego Union Tribune Editorial Board
“I believe that as a practical matter, eliminating the tests could make inequities worse.”
– Kim A. Wilcox, Chancellor, UC Riverside
“The significant predictive connection between standardized test scores and multiple metrics of student success provides a means for UC to target assistance towards students who most need supportive services, particularly URMs and first-generation students.”
– Kristin H. Lagattuta, Ph.D., Chair, Davis Division of the Academic Senate & Professor, Department of Psychology and Center for Mind and Brain
“…if these tests were eliminated, it would put more emphasis on the high school grade point average, which is not standardized and more dependent on uncontrollable factors.”
– Louis Santiago, Chair, Executive Committee College of Natural and Agricultural Science UC Riverside
“Due to differences in grading systems and school curricula, it is difficult to compare California applicants with non-resident students. Standardized tests provide an opportunity for direct comparison.”
– Deborah Swenson, Chair, Committee on Admission and Enrollment UC Davis
“Premature elimination of the SAT would increase reliance on GPA in the admissions process, a crucial consideration at a time when, as the report stresses, grade inflation has made high school GPA less valuable as a predictor of student success in college, a trend that would likely be further exacerbated if standardized test scores were dropped as an admissions criterion.”
– Henning Bohn, Chair, Academic Senate Santa Barbara Division
"The elimination of SAT/ACT would adversely affect historically underrepresented student populations. This is because the removal of SAT/ACT requirement would lead to higher weights being placed on high school GPA in the admission process.”
–Tom Hansford, Chair, UC Merced Division Chair – Committee for Diversity and Equity
"…ACT/SAT scores enable the University to admit more disadvantaged students than it could without the scores because the University is able to contextualize individual test scores.”
Sharmila Majumdar, Ph.D., Chair, UCSF Academic Senate
- ACT CEO Marten Roorda’s Letters to the University of California Board of Regents about Standardized Testing
- University of California should work to improve the SAT and ACT, not scrap them
- Research tells us standardized admissions tests benefit under-represented students