With a policy change approved by the
Board of Regents on July 16, the admissions tests taken
by freshmen entering the University of California in 2006
will be more closely aligned to the high school curriculum
than ever before.
Instead of taking the ACT or SAT I plus three SAT IIs as
they do now, students who enter
the University in 2006 will take a new SAT I that includes
a writing exam or the ACT along with a new writing component,
plus two SAT IIs in areas such as history/social science,
English, mathematics, laboratory science, or a language
other than English.
The issue of admissions test reform has
been in the national spotlight since early 2001, when President
Richard C. Atkinson called upon the academic community to
reevaluate the way standardized tests were used in the admissions
process, stating they should include a writing sample and
be brought into closer alignment with the college preparatory
curriculum in high school.
In response, the UC Academic Senate’s
Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools (BOARS) examined
how the University used standardized tests in its admissions
processes and in January 2002 suggested several changes
in policy with regard to admissions tests. Specifically,
BOARS recommended that the University adopt a “core
test” covering the fundamental disciplines of language
arts (including writing) and mathematics. BOARS also said
the test should be related to the college preparatory curriculum
students are expected to take in high school and should
offer information that could help identify academic strengths
and weaknesses.
Last summer, both ACT and the College
Board announced plans to revise their existing national
tests in ways that are in accord with the BOARS recommendations.
Beginning in 2005, the College Board
will add a mandatory writing exam to its existing core test
and make substantial changes to the SAT I that move toward
addressing BOARS’ concerns about the scope of its
mathematics content coverage, as well as its basis in the
college preparatory curriculum and its ability to provide
diagnostic feedback to students and schools. Additionally,
the ACT will offer an optional writing test along with its
existing national test of mathematics and language arts;
this test will be available to all ACT test-takers across
the country
