Possible Effects of the UC’s Becoming Test-Optional- Kyuhong Min Elite Valencia Branch Director

   The Los Angeles Times recently published an article about the possibility of the University of California (UC) schools dropping their SAT requirements. This means that students would be able to apply to any UC college without submitting their SAT or ACT scores. While this may sound like a great relief to many students and parents, it may actually have an adverse impact on many students living in the Santa Clarita Valley (SCV). This article will shed light on why I believe a decision like this may hurt the chances of many students who are looking to matriculate into the UC system.
   When stories like these appear on the news, it’s natural for many of us to only look at the surface and the bright side of things. However, we must look into why the UC officials are considering this change in order to get a better idea of how this may affect our students in the future. From the UC standpoint, although standardized tests are good indicators of college performance, they are increasingly viewed as unfair to students who aren’t good test-takers or can’t afford to take the pricey exams. Research also shows that scores are highly influenced by other factors, such as household income, race, and parents’ education. The UC Board of Regents Vice Chairwoman Cecilia Estolano has even declared that standardized tests use a “clearly flawed methodology that has a discriminatory impact.” With this in mind, colleges that are moving toward test-optional applications are actually trying to help first-generation and low-income students. This is more evident from University of Chicago’s statement that its test-optional policy is a success because the university increased enrollment of first-gen and low-income students by 20% and rural students by 56% while lowering its admit rate to 6% and raising its average SAT score. I believe this is what the UC schools will look to accomplish if they decide to become test-optional.
   Although the statistics released by University of Chicago sound great, what it really means for the majority of SCV students is that they might find it more difficult to get into the college of their choice. SCV’s median household income is over $90,000, which is more than 50% above the national median household income, and over 40% of SCV residents age 25 or older have college degrees, which is about 25% higher than the national average. This all means that more likely than not, your child will not fall under the first-gen or low-income category. So what happens to students who are applying to test-optional colleges the more “traditional” way? Simply put, it becomes much more difficult for them. Looking at the University of Chicago’s “success” story, many would think that the majority of students applied without submitting a test score. However, the university noted that only 10 to 15% of applicants did not submit an ACT or SAT score while the number of applicants increased by nearly 10% after going test-optional. Putting all the statistics together, it becomes evident that getting accepted to test-optional schools will become even more difficult if the student is not first-gen, low-income, or from a rural area.
   In the end, what does this all mean for most SCV students who apply to test-optional schools? It ultimately means that most things do not change, but it also means that they will likely have to score higher on the ACT or SAT and earn near-perfect grades and excellent AP scores. And although it may seem like the number of test-optional schools is still minimal, that number is likely to balloon if the UC system decides to go the test-optional route. Regardless of the decision the UC regents will make in about a year, it is clear that universities are highly considering the change, so it is best to prepare by making sure students continue to excel academically and in their extracurricular activities. Just do not fall into the trap of thinking that your student does not need to take an ACT or SAT or submit a great score to get into a top-tier, test-optional college.

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