ACT/SAT testing and Cal States

I wanted to know that if one is ONLY applying to the cal state schools and has not taken the SAT yet (a junior) - is there any reason to take the SAT? I believe now the tests are not considered in the admissions process at all for next year. Can someone confirm?

The CSU system is test-optional starting for the class of 2025.
https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2020/04/20/cal-state-and-many-other-colleges-go-test-optional

Suspending test score submission is temporary but if you are able to sit for an exam, it still could be a benefit if you submit. What is going to happen is that there will be more emphasis on your HS course grades/GPA, HS course rigor, # of a-g courses in-progress and completed to determine CSU eligibility.

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  1. California residents and graduates of California high schools will be eligible for admission by earning a 2.50 or greater average in “A-G” high school courses.

  2. California high school graduates with a grade average in those classes between 2.00 and 2.49 may be evaluated with extra factors, such as number of courses exceeding minimum requirements, household income and extracurricular involvement.

  3. Residents of other states and nations may be eligible for admission with a 3.0 grade average in those courses.**

I find the comment about extracurricular involvement in #2 interesting since there is only one Cal state that asks for EC hours on the application which is Cal Poly SLO. I am assuming that there will be a change in the Cal state Apply application which might include EC’s for the next admission cycle??

Also it does not state if they will use only 10-11th grades for the a-g courses only for GPA calculation, so 9th grades are going to possibly be included with greater scrutiny?

Impacted campuses will have higher GPA thresholds and probably other criteria which are still being determined.

https://www2.calstate.edu/apply/freshman/Pages/first-time-freshman-guidance.aspx
I emailed CPSLO admissions to ask about test scores for OOS applicants and they confirmed that they “will not be considering standardized test scores for Fall 2021 admission as indicated in the Cal State website.”

@evergreen5: So there will be greater emphasis on HS course rigor and GPA. SLO already takes into account HS course rigor by giving extra bonus points so perhaps other CSU campuses will follow suit.

@NewPoster123: What happens if you decide to alter your college list and a college of interest wants an SAT or ACT test score? Again, if you are able to sit for exam, it might be to your benefit. There is no requirement to send it if you are unhappy with the score.

@evergreen5 , So Cal State system is actually test blind, I guess. WOW!

@Gumbymom This isn’t relevant for in-state OP, and just wild speculation, but I suspect CPSLO may have been flexible with OOS grades in past years, from what I see in Naviance compared to published stats. Makes me wonder if they give rigor points for OOS non-AP honors courses or somehow account for the rigor of the high school (high acceptance rate).

@evergreen5: I have been following CSU admissions for many years and I have noticed that OOS applicants in general have a lower threshold for GPA and test scores than in-state applicants. This may be due to a smaller applicant pool and less competition but since SLO and the rest of the Cal states do not break out GPA/test score #’s by in-state vs OOS vs International, this is just my observation.

OOS have a higher acceptance rate also to do the fact their yield is lower and costs/affordability play an important part .

CSU’s and the UC’s have always wanted a certain percentage of OOS/International students on campus for diversity and also for the extra tuition they bring into the school so it should be an interesting admission cycle for 2021.

@evergreen5 that was my understanding. It will not be part of their formula so they will not be accepting them. So I don’t think what @Gumbymom said is actually accurate “but if you are able to sit for an exam, it still could be a benefit if you submit.” I don’t think they are accepting any scores.

Since all information indicates that the CSU’s are not accepting the scores, then yes it would not be worth taking the exam but life can be unpredictable and you never know if some reason the ACT or SAT could be needed. I like to cover all my bases so there is no downside if you are able to take them.