College Admissions in the Time of COVID-19

SAT/ACT requirements

UC and CSU: SAT/ACT test scores will NOT be considered for admission for Fall 2021 and Fall 2022 applications.

Private colleges: many private schools are Test Optional for Fall 2021 and Fall 2022. This means that you may submit test scores if you have them (and if you submit, they will include them in their review of your application) but they do not expect them! Do not go to extra lengths / extremes to take the test.

"CR" meets A-G requirements for Spring, Summer and Fall 2020 as well as Spring and Summer 2021. Nonetheless, UC strongly encourages potential applicants to take, whenever possible, A-G courses for letter grades, especially those in English and mathematics, as well as those in prospective major fields.

UC will continue to calculate the GPA for admission purposes using all A-G courses passed with letter grades in grades 10 and 11, including summer terms following grades 9, 10 and 11. Pass (P) or Credit (CR) grades earned in spring 2020 through summer 2021 will meet A-G subject requirements but will not be calculated in the GPA.

UC will not consider SAT or ACT test scores when making admissions decisions or awarding scholarships. If you choose to submit test scores as part of your application, they may be used as an alternative method of fulfilling minimum requirements for eligibility or for course placement after you enroll.

UC Updates Page

UC Freshmen Requirements Page

"CR" meets A-G requirements for Spring, Summer, and Fall 2020 and Spring and Summer 2021.

SAT/ACT test scores will NOT be considered for admission for Fall 2021 and Fall 2022 applications.

Due to suspension of SAT/ACT, GPA requirement has been adjusted:

  • California residents and graduates of California high schools: 2.50 or greater “a-g” GPA.

  • Any California high school graduate or resident of California earning a GPA between 2.00 and 2.49 may be evaluated for admission based upon supplemental factors such as number of courses exceeding minimum “a-g” requirements, household income, extracurricular involvement, and other available information that would inform the campus admission decision. Each CSU campus will determine the supplemental factors used with GPA to determine eligibility in these cases and communicate these criteria publicly for prospective students.

CSU Updates Page

NCAA Eligibility Updates

Given the continuing impact of COVID-19 on the educational environment, the NCAA Eligibility Center has partnered with the NCAA membership to identify the following changes to the initial-eligibility certification process for students who initially enroll full time in a collegiate institution during the 2021-22 academic year. (This document includes the additional guidance for distance, e-learning or hybrid options made available by schools with NCAA-approved core courses, as released in July.) Click here to learn more about this important information. Click here to review all EC COVID-related relief. Click here to review the relief and waiver released in April 2020.

NCAA Coronavirus Updates

Virtual Tours & Events

Webinars to Help In Your College Decision

How to Explore Colleges Virtually - Resources from Raise.me

youvisit.com - Offers narrated 360-degree virtual tours of colleges worldwide, sharing the academic, cultural and social experiences offered on more than a thousand campuses. Not only are these tours offered in English, but in Arabic, Portuguese, Chinese, Hindi, and Spanish as well. (Not all school tours are in all languages). Note: when you select a school to "tour" it will ask for info about yourself. You do not need to complete the form, you can still access the tour bypassing that step.

Campustours.com - Offers video tours, interactive campus maps, and mobile walking tours of more than 1,700 colleges and universities.

https://www.campusreel.org/ - Explore campuses virtually! Videos made by college staff and students.

List of Virtual College Admission Events by NACAC

List of Virtual College Tours & Events by Rebecca Chabrow, Director of Enrollment Management at Gratz College - This list includes info about the schools beyond virtual access, such as size of school, setting, location and unique facilities.

Virtual Admissions Events & Deposit Dates

Common App College Search



“WACAC los invita a ver esta grabación de nuestra primera sesión virtual de Cafecito con Colegios, una serie de seminarios web para familias hispanohablantes. Durante esta sesión virtual, nuestros panelistas de las oficinas de admisión de universidades públicas y privadas en California hablan sobre los cambios importantes que han ocurrido en el mundo de admisiones universitarias debido a la pandemia de COVID-19. Tenga su cafecito listo y haga clic en este enlace para ver el video.” (de marzo de 2021)

Resources & Tips for Students

  • Students can make a list of questions regarding each individual college that piques their interest, and then reach out to an admissions officer at each school. For private colleges, this is the basis of establishing a relationship with the college and showing demonstrated interest. But students should be sure that their questions are specific and that the answers cannot easily be found on the college’s website.

  • Reach out to colleges to ask if they are hosting any virtual tours, info sessions, or conferences.

  • Juniors: Use the time at home to start working on personal statement / personal insight questions early.

  • Juniors: Sign up for Summer ACT or SAT so that you have the option of submitting scores. Scores may be required for CSU's (still waiting for news on that!).

  • Find new ways to continue your extracurriculars and passions... show how you take initiative and are creative. Do what you can from home and virtually!


CollegeVine COVID-19 Info Center - Resources and updates related to college admissions changes due to COVID-19, including updated info on SAT, ACT and AP Exams

https://www.commonapp.org/coronavirus - Links to information for students regarding college admissions during COVID-19.

NACAC College Admission Status Update - Tool to check college admissions status: Within this tool, there is information about which colleges are still hosting school visits, which are extending deadlines for responding to admissions offers, and which have coronavirus-related policy updates.


Students Rising Above is providing free virtual college & career advising to any high school and college student facing challenges as a result of COVID-19 transitions.

By signing up for a free SRA Hub account, you will have access to:

• Answers to your college & career questions from a live SRA Advisor within 1 business day

• Student guidebook of vetted, up-to-date community resources for students related to COVID-19

• Webinars on college access, career readiness, mental wellness, financial aid

To create your free SRA Hub account:

1. Navigate to srahub.org

2. Once on srahub.org, click on the “Register (New Users)” box on the bottom of the page

3. Fill out every text box on the form and click “Register”

We know these next few months are critical to supporting high school seniors, college students, and new college graduates in continuing their journeys - you can count on SRA to help you!

To learn more about SRA, contribute, or volunteer, please visit our website: https://studentsrisingabove.org

UC campuses virtual programs for admitted students

All campuses are planning a wide array of opportunities for freshman and transfer admitted students to learn more about campus and engage with admission staff in the coming weeks. For the most current information on upcoming virtual and online programs and events for admitted students, as well as campus updates, please contact individual campuses. The contact list below includes links to websites for admitted student virtual events or the public website for admitted student virtual/online programs and services. Please keep in mind that information for these sites will be updated throughout the coming weeks.

UC Berkeley: Admission Office | Admitted Student website | Counselor Information

UC Davis: Admission Office | Freshman Decision Day | Transfer Decision Day | Virtual Tour

UC Irvine: Admission Office | Celebrate UCI Day | Virtual Tour

UC Los Angeles: Admission Office | Bruin Bound | Virtual Tours

UC Merced: Admission Office | Webinars and Videos | Virtual Tours

UC Riverside: Admission Office | Highlander Day | Virtual Tours

UC San Diego: Admission Office | Triton Day | Transfer Triton Day | Virtual Tour

UC Santa Barbara: Admission Office | Webinars and Online Events | Virtual Tour

UC Santa Cruz: Admission Office | Admitted Student website | Virtual Tour

Articles on the Impact to College Admissions

How the coronavirus has upended college admissions: https://hechingerreport.org/how-the-coronavirus-has-upended-college-admissions/

College Admissions and Coronavirus: How Students and Families Should Navigate the New Normal: https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/money-and-power/a32016709/college-applications-admissions-affected-coronavirus-pandemic/

How to navigate the college admissions process during the coronavirus crisis: https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/04/04/how-navigate-college-admissions-process-during-coronavirus-crisis/

Here's How College Admissions Are Changing This Year — and What High School Seniors Need to Know: https://money.com/college-admissions-coronavirus/