Free Republic

The University of California will not take SAT and ACT scores into account in admissions or scholarship decisions for its system of 10 schools, which include some of the nation’s most sought-after campuses, in accordance with a settlement in a lawsuit brought by students. The settlement announced on Friday signals the end of a lengthy legal debate over whether the University of California system should use the standardized tests, which students of color and those with disabilities have said put them at a disadvantage. Opponents of the tests called the settlement “historic,” and said that it would broaden access to...

BEIJING/SHANGHAI - No annoying drills. Stop the crane. Take a bus instead of driving your car - unless you are taking a student to the national College Entrance Exam. There is no shortage of posters bearing such prohibitions around Beijing in the run-up to the two-day exam period, when high school graduates will compete for places at the country's universities. During China's top test, which starts on Monday, the students are exempt from the nuisances of noise, traffic jams and any other possible disturbances at this crucial moment in their lives. Cities across China have adopted the practice of creating...