You do not need to take an entrance exam to apply for admission to California public colleges and universities. Entrance exams are no longer used to determine admission eligibility.
But these exams are useful. You may be able to use your exam scores to fulfill minimum course requirements. Your scores also help place you in the proper courses after admission.
Basic College Exam Information
PSAT
The PSAT measures three areas: critical reading skills; math problem solving skills; and writing skills. The PSAT can be used as practice for the SAT—it will familiarize you with the types of questions and directions you’ll find on the SAT.
If you take the exam in grade 11 and do well, you might qualify to participate in the National Merit Scholarship competition.
SAT
Take this exam during your junior or senior year. It’s made up of three sections: critical reading, mathematics, and writing. If you take the exam more than once, you can choose which scores to send to a school. Both the University of California (UC) and the California State University (CSU) no longer use SAT or ACT exam scores to determine admission eligibility.
SAT Subject Tests
Take this exam near the end of your junior, beginning of your senior year, or when you’ve finished studying a specific subject. These tests are designed to measure specific subjects like English, history, math, science, and language. Although the UC and CSU no longer use test scores for admission eligibility, your scores can be used for class placement after you enroll.
ACT
The ACT is divided into four required sections: English, mathematics, reading comprehension, and science. Although the UC and CSU no longer use test scores for admission eligibility, your scores can be used for class placement after you enroll.