Brief: UC Continues SAT and ACT Review on Nov. 6

The University of California Academic Senate’s Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools (BOARS) holds a videoconference on November 6 to continue reviewing the role of standardized testing in undergraduate admissions. Under the timeline UC has published, its report is due by February 12, 2027, and the final decision rests with the Board of Regents. Irvine seniors’ applications are not affected; the students who should follow the review most closely are juniors.

Which Students and Families the UC SAT and ACT Review Affects

The University of California’s Academic Senate Review of Admissions FAQ describes the situation for each class:

The FAQ also states that the testing policy will not change before the academic year ends in June 2027.

Under the review process, BOARS studies the issue and develops recommendations, the president considers them, and the Board of Regents decides. The Academic Council charged BOARS to deliver its standardized testing report by February 12, 2027, and that report is not a final policy decision. The Regents have asked to receive a policy recommendation no later than June 2027. An initial report on the A-G course requirements is due in May 2027.

The Agenda for the November 6 BOARS Meeting

The agenda BOARS posted for November 6 centers on consultation with:

• UC faculty members of the Academic Council’s 2019-2020 Standardized Testing Task Force;
• The UC Office of the President’s institutional research unit and the California Education Lab at UC Davis;
• Campus admissions directors and enrollment management leads;
• The California State Board of Education;
• Public K-12 districts;
• The UC Student Association.

As reported by EdSource, the meeting will review reports on student performance in introductory math courses. The remaining BOARS meetings this academic year are December 4, January 8 and February 5, followed by monthly meetings through July 2027.

What to Do Now About the UC Standardized Testing Review

Seniors should apply under the current rules. Fall 2027 applications do not require test scores, and the November 30 deadline is unchanged.

Juniors should keep the testing option open. No decision has been made for fall 2028, and UC states that it will give public advance notice of any change. Until a decision is announced, juniors can plan an SAT or ACT for the spring, and scores may also be useful for colleges outside California.

Rely on the official FAQ. The FAQ will be updated as the review advances, and secondhand summaries online do not replace the official statements.

For the background of the current policy, see UC and the SAT and ACT: Policy History and Remaining Uses; for test preparation, see the EDUBUS SAT program; for overall application planning, see the college admissions planning service.

Sources

• University of California: Academic Senate Review of Admissions (accessed November 5, 2026)
• UC Academic Senate: Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools (BOARS) (accessed November 5, 2026)
• UC Academic Senate: BOARS Notice of Videoconference, November 6, 2026 (accessed November 5, 2026)
• EdSource: University of California’s math preparedness crisis spurs search for answers and solutions (accessed November 5, 2026)