Q&A on UC Admissions Testing Requirements for 2006

Core Requirements

Effective for students entering UC as freshmen in fall 2006, each applicant must submit scores on an approved core test of mathematics, language arts and writing. This requirement can be satisfied by taking either of the following:
• the ACT Assessment plus the new ACT Writing Test, or
• the new SAT I (critical reading, mathematics and writing).

In addition, all applicants must complete two SAT II Subject Tests in two different subject areas: history/ social science, English literature, mathematics, laboratory science or language other than English.

If a student in the freshman class of 2006 takes the SAT I and/or the SAT II Writing Test prior to March 2005, will these examination results fulfill the new requirement?
No. Because of the changes in the SAT I, which now includes sections on critical reading, mathematics and writing, UC will expect students to take this new exam in March 2005 or later.

If a student in the freshman class of 2006 takes the ACT Assessment prior to spring 2005, will UC accept this version of the ACT as long as the student also takes the ACT Writing Test when it is available?
Yes. Since the ACT Assessment is not changing, applicants for fall 2006 admission may complete the current ACT at any time but must also complete the ACT Writing Test no later than December 2005. Applicants for freshman admission in fall 2007 and later will be expected to complete both the ACT Assessment and the Writing Test at the same sitting.

Can a student take the SAT II Writing Test in combination with the ACT Assessment to fulfill the core examination requirement?
No. UC will not accept the SAT II Writing Test as a substitution for the ACT Writing Test for fall
2006 applicants.

SAT II Requirements

Freshman applicants must submit scores on two SAT II Subject Tests in two different subject areas of the student’s choice: history/social science, English literature, mathematics, laboratory science or language other than English.

Completion of the SAT II Writing (with essay) and SAT II Math Level IC will not meet the fall 2006 requirement. Applicants may, however, submit a SAT II Math Level IIC score to fulfill the requirement.

The following SAT II Subject Tests can also be used to fulfill this requirement: Literature, U.S. History, World History, Biology E/M, Chemistry, Physics, French Reading, French Reading with Listening, German Reading, German Reading with Listening, Spanish Reading, Spanish Reading with Listening, Modern Hebrew Reading, Italian Reading, Latin Reading with Listening, Japanese Reading with Listening, Korean Reading with Listening, and Chinese Reading with Listening.

Can a student meet UC’s requirement by taking two SAT II tests in one discipline area — for example, the United States and World History tests or the Chemistry and Biology tests?
No. The examination requirement calls for the completion of two SAT II tests in two different subject areas.

Are specific SAT II tests required for admission to certain campuses or majors?
Students are urged to take relevant SAT II Subject Tests immediately upon completion of associated courses, particularly if the subject area is related to an intended major. Specific SAT II Subject Tests may be preferred for admission to certain majors. Students are urged to check campus websites for the latest testing information.

Will the SAT II Writing Test still be offered after the new SAT is introduced?
No. When the new SAT is introduced in March 2005, it will include a writing section with content similar to that of the SAT II Writing Test. For this reason, the SAT II Writing Test will no longer be offered after January 22, 2005.

UC Information

How will the new tests be weighted in UC’s eligibility index?
The UC Academic Senate’s Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools (BOARS) has recommended that, pending future research on the predictive validity of the different exams, the three components of the new SAT I and the two additional SAT II Subject Tests be weighted equally in the eligibility index. UC will use a concordance table to equate the new SAT I with the ACT Assessment plus the new ACT Writing Test. A new eligibility index is anticipated in spring 2005 for students entering in fall 2006.

If a student takes the ACT or SAT more than once, will the University use the highest score?
Yes. The University uses the highest scores from a single testing administration.

If a student takes more than two SAT II Subject Tests, will the University use the best two scores?
Yes, provided that these scores represent two different subject areas.

What about students applying to UC for fall 2006 who are also applying to other colleges that may accept old SAT and ACT scores?
These students should inquire about the testing policies for the schools they’re interested in, then decide whether taking the old tests makes sense. However, UC will accept only the new tests.

Will UC see the SAT I essay? How will campuses use the new writing score?
UC has no plans to view the essays, only to use the SAT I scores.

General SAT/PSAT Information

Will the SAT tests be longer?
The total testing time for the new SAT I will be 3 hours and 45 minutes: 60 minutes for the writing section and 70 minutes each for the critical reading and mathematics sections. The old SAT I took three hours. Each SAT II test will still be one hour in length.

What will the new SAT cost? Will there be fee waivers?
The new test fee will be $41.50, an increase of about $12. Disadvantaged students can apply for fee waivers to cover test fees when they register.

What will the new SAT scores look like?
The new SAT will have three scores, each on the familiar scale of 200–800. Scores will include writing (W 200– 800), mathematics (M 200–800) and critical reading (CR 200–800).

What will students be asked to write about in the essay?
Students will be asked to take a position on an issue and support it persuasively with examples from their studies and experiences. The topic will be an open-ended question that can be answered successfully in many different ways. Students won’t have to have any prior knowledge about the topic to write an effective essay.

Will the PSAT/NMSQT change too?
Yes. Beginning in fall 2004, the PSAT/NMSQT, which is typically taken by high school sophomores and juniors, will include many changes similar to those on the new SAT. However, the PSAT/NMSQT will not include an essay. In addition, there will be no third-year college preparatory math questions in the math section of the PSAT/NMSQT. Instead, there will be additional concepts in numbers and operations, algebra and geometry.

More information on the PSATs is available online.

ACT Information

When will the ACT Writing Test be offered?
The ACT Writing Test will be offered for the first time in February 2005.

How long will the ACT Writing Test take?
30 minutes.

How much will it cost?
It will cost $14. The fee for the ACT Assessment is $28. Taking both tests together will cost $42.

What scores will be reported?
Each student who takes the ACT Writing Test will receive a scaled score, ranging from 1–36, that reflects his or her performance on the Writing Test and the English Test combined, as well as a Writing Test subscore.

More information on the ACT is available online.