Article: SAT Subject Tests Face New Scrutiny

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The University of California has a history of setting off changes in
the standardized testing industry. Complaints from California, for
example, led to the creation of the SAT's writing test. Now, a
universitywide faculty panel is pushing for another major change:
dropping the requirement that all applicants for undergraduate
admission submit two scores on SAT subject tests.

While the proposal would maintain the requirement that applicants
submit either SAT or ACT scores, the elimination of the SAT subject
tests (once known as achievement tests) would represent a significant
erosion in institutions with such requirements. The College Board says
that about 160 colleges — generally among the most elite — require or
recommend at least one SAT subject, but the number of institutions
with requirements is a minority within that group. So the departure of
the University of California's nine undergraduate campuses, with their
121,000 applicants, would be a major blow to the program.

Also potentially a blow: the conclusion of University of California
professors that the subject tests add very little information of value
to admissions officers, making the tests not worth applicants' or
universities' time.

Complete story in Inside Higher Ed:

http://insidehigher ed.com/news/ 2008/03/17/ uc