University of California professors tired of teaching students who can't make the grade, demand return of standardized tests

Hundreds of University of California faculty members have signed an open letter urging faculty leaders to return to a standardized testing model for math and science applicants. The letter warns of a clear drop in math scores since the tests were abandoned.

After a 2020 legal challenge was raised by a student that argued the requirement provided an advantage to students who could afford prep services, the tests were eliminated. The group of UC Berkeley math professors sent the letter arguing that the college's decision to abstain from test requirements created ability gaps so broad that instructors were having to teach middle-school math to college-aged students.

The professors cite concerning trends among math students in their open letter.

“Over the past five years, we have seen a widening divergence in mathematical preparation levels within the same classroom,” the letter reads. “This trend indicates that current admissions practices do not provide a sufficiently reliable check on mathematical readiness for STEM majors. The UC San Diego Senate–Administration Workgroup on Admissions report documents this crisis in stark terms: in the last five years, the number of students whose mathematics skills fall below high school level increased nearly thirtyfold; moreover, 70% of those students fall below middle school levels, reaching roughly one in twelve members of the entering cohort.”

The letter urged the need for the school system to bring back the ACT and SAT requirements as a “critical baseline” to examine whether students have the mathematical abilities required for challenging STEM coursework. It argues that schools in California can no longer reliably distinguish readiness for university-level STEM majors in an era of severe grade inflation and AI-assisted application essays.

The professors conclude the letter with a call to action, urging the college to take four steps:

• Reinstate SAT/ACT Requirements
• Validate Academic Readiness
• Establish Faculty Oversight
• Mandate Institutional Accountability

In response to the letter penned by the UC professors, UC Academic Senate Chair Ahmet Palazoglu made the following statement:

“In light of concerns raised by UC faculty about student preparedness for undergraduate study, in March I called upon our systemwide faculty Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools (BOARS) to address timely topics tied to students’ college readiness and UC’s admissions process. BOARS is in the process of proposing a roadmap of policy work and partnership-building with other state and K–12 education leaders in the next academic year and beyond.”

The dispute comes as colleges across the United States grapple with the new era of test-blind admissions. While supporters of these policies argue that the reduced restrictions expand access, there are still many who see the emerging trends as concerning.