The University of California (UC) has initiated a thorough review of its standardized testing policy. This decision comes in response to widespread concerns from faculty members about the need to address academic preparedness among incoming students.
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,
stated James B. Milliken, President of the University of California. He emphasized the importance of addressing college readiness.
The faculty-led Academic Senate plans to examine both preparation and admissions processes, weighing the potential reinstatement of standardized testing as part of admissions requirements. An initial report on the findings is anticipated by July, which will be presented to the UC Board of Regents and President Milliken.
The review emerges shortly after a significant petition from faculty members across UC campuses. Over 1,400 educators signed an open letter advocating for the return of SAT/ACT mathematics requirements for students pursuing majors in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The petition gained support from key academic figures, including seven out of nine mathematics department chairs at UC.
Faculty claim that the elimination of standardized testing has removed an essential metric for assessing student readiness, resulting in notable gaps in preparation. According to their observations, these gaps necessitate re-teaching of middle school mathematics, alongside higher-level material required for demanding STEM fields.
A report from UC San Diego’s Senate–Administration Working Group on Admissions highlighted dramatic increases in underprepared students. The proportion of first-year students testing below high school mathematics proficiency grew from roughly 1 in 200 to almost 1 in 8 students over five years. More alarmingly, 70% of these students showed less than middle school math skills.
Faculty expressed concerns about grade inflation on high school transcripts, further complicated by widespread use of generative AI in application essays. Karajean Hyde, co-director of the UC Irvine Math Project, stressed the need for objective measures to ensure consistent academic standards.
Despite acknowledging UC’s historical role in supporting under-resourced students, faculty warned against overextending resources. They argued that admitting underprepared students into demanding fields without foundational checks would ultimately disadvantage those students.
The UC Board of Regents holds the authority to amend or reinstate admissions policies based on the Academic Senate’s recommendations. If advised, the earliest implementation of a testing requirement would be for the fall 2028 admissions cycle.
The reconsideration of standardized testing at UC mirrors larger national trends. Several elite institutions, including MIT and Yale, have reversed pandemic-era test-optional policies after determining standardized tests are reliable indicators of college readiness, especially for lower-income applicants.