The California State University Board of Trustees announced it will no longer require SAT and ACT testing beginning March 23 for eligibility of admission to its 23 campuses.

Chico State’s enrollment is at a historical low, however, this change of policy might increase enrollment in coming semesters. 

“The removal of standardized testing as an admissions requirement will not hurt enrollment and may contribute to more students from historically underrepresented backgrounds applying,” said Serge Desir, Chico State Office of Admissions director. 

Eliminating standardized testing ensures people from low income backgrounds have academic opportunities that would have not been possible since tutoring can be expensive. 

Not every family has a few hundred dollars to shell out for SAT and ACT tutoring sessions. Students who have access to SAT and ACT prep courses take mock tests that help determine which subjects they need to improve on. Tutors repeatedly test students until their scores gradually improve throughout the course.

Students who can not afford prep courses must fend for themselves in academia. They only know what needs improvement after failing tests, but registration fees for testing can add up, so some students can realistically only take the test a few times. 

The CSU is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, 477,000 students and 56,000 faculty and staff, according to the CSU website. Chico State is the second-oldest campus, and was established in 1887.

“[The March 23] decision follows a national and statewide movement urging a more equitable admissions process that does not rely on racially biased admissions tests that do not accurately reflect the talent and potential of students,” The Campaign for College Opportunity wrote in an email.
Melvin Bui can be reached at [email protected] or @MelvinBuii_ on Twitter.