The University of California (UC) announced a thorough review of its standardized testing policy. This decision follows significant concerns from faculty members who feel pressured to re-teach middle school math to new students. UC President James B. Milliken emphasized the importance of college preparedness. He stated, “The Board of Regents and University leadership take very seriously the critical issue of college preparedness, and the UC Academic Senate has proposed a comprehensive, data-driven review to support its recommendations to strengthen student readiness and success at UC.” Milliken highlighted that both preparation and admissions would be the focus, considering whether standardized testing should return. The UC Board of Regents and Milliken are slated for a preliminary findings update in July.
Faculty across multiple UC campuses have reacted strongly, gathering over 1,400 signatures in an open letter. They demand the reinstatement of SAT/ACT math requirements, especially for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines. Support is strong, with signatures from seven of UC’s nine mathematics department chairs. Faculty argue that removing standardized tests has obscured severe academic deficiencies in students.
A report from UC San Diego’s Senate–Administration Working Group on Admissions (SAWG) reveals a thirtyfold surge in underprepared students. The fraction of students whose math skills were below high school level rose significantly, with 70% of them failing middle school proficiency. This affects roughly 1 in 12 students entering the university.
Professors voice concerns over grade inflation on transcripts and the impact of artificial intelligence on application essays. Karajean Hyde, co-director of the UC Irvine Math Project, supports using objective benchmarks to maintain academic standards. Hyde stated, “A student’s not just a single number or a single letter, but standardized testing can play an important role in ensuring one level of measuring where that bar is so that the bar doesn’t move.”
Faculty commend UC’s history of aiding under-resourced students but stress limited resources. Pushing students into challenging STEM areas without basic checks might inadvertently harm those they intend to help. They claim the SAT/ACT math requirements are essential for equity, not obstacles.
The UC Board of Regents retains ultimate authority to modify admissions policies. If the Academic Senate advises revisiting standardized tests, changes might not take effect until the fall 2028 admissions cycle. This re-evaluation aligns with a national trend where elite universities like MIT, Yale, and others have reinstated testing as a key readiness indicator for college admissions.
A UC Office of the President spokesperson emphasizes that any policy modification would follow the Board of Regents’ review. The current test-blind policy was adopted permanently after a legal settlement during the COVID-19 pandemic.