Of California's 399 universities and colleges, as of 2011 there are 53 located in Southern California that do not require candidates for admission to submit SAT or ACT scores. Like many institutions of higher learning across the United States in recent years, these schools have decided that the SAT and the ACT do not accurately reflect their own idea of what is needed from a student to gain admission.
Each college gives its own reasons for abandoning the tests, but there are some similarities. In 2003, Pitzer College, a nationally ranked institution in Claremont, Calif., opted for an SAT-optional stance. According to its website, "the SAT is inconsistent with our institution's mission and values; that there is a crucial philosophical difference in how the College approaches education, as well as how it views its students." This is a common attitude among colleges in the area. Another reason some institutions such as California State University give is that they believe a student's grades in high school are the most accurate way to determine a student's readiness for admission. Some institutions with a heavy focus on distance learning, such as the Art Institute network of schools, opt out of the SAT and the ACT because they have adopted policies that encourage anyone with an interest in higher education to pursue that interest and offer an admissions process with alternatives to the SAT and ACT.
Some universities in Southern California do not require the SAT or ACT, but will consider scores if the student has not met the institution's GPA and/or class-rank requirements. In these cases, a student can gain admission to the university based on the strength of their SAT or ACT scores if they have taken one or both tests, but, again, the tests are not required. Some institutions in Southern California that do not require the SAT or the ACT, but will take them into consideration if needed include the California State University network of schools, the DeVry University network of schools and La Sierra University in Riverside.
There are many options for those looking to spend their college years in an educational institution in Southern California with a religious affiliation. These include Bethesda Christian University in Anaheim, The Kings College in Van Nuys, Life Pacific College in San Dimas, and Masters College in Santa Clarita. The given reasons for not requiring the tests are in line with those at non-religious institutions, though the admissions process for religious schools can be different. As an example, Bethesda Christian University uses a combination of high school GPA, interviews and auditions to admit students.