Photo: E+
The California State University System might eliminate the use of standardized tests like the SAT and ACT for admission to its 23 campuses. CSU trustees heard a recommendation from the system’s admissions advisory committee to remove the standardized testing requirement and replace it with a multifactor admission score that allows colleges to consider 21 factors. The factors would vary by campus, but it would include work experience, leadership roles, extracurricular activities and special status such as foster youth, first-generation or military.
According to assistant vice chancellor for CSU enrollment management services, April Grommo,
“As we evolve our admission standards, we do so with a focus on equity and increased awareness of the new data from standardized test scores. The university system’s research teams analyzed SAT results, scores from the Smarter Balanced assessment, and CSU’s 2016 freshman class GPA before recommending this new approach. They found high school GPA was a much stronger predictor of college readiness than either the SAT or the Smarter Balanced assessment."
When the board officially approves the change in March, CSU will join UC schools, whose board of regents decided last year that they would no longer accept any SAT or ACT scores for admissions. According to the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, more than 1,800 colleges and universities have eliminated the SAT or ACT from their admissions requirements.
What do you think about this?
Photo Credit: Getty Images