U. Of California Will Consider Reinstating An Admission Test Requirement

The University of California (UC) will review its undergraduate admissions policies, including the possibility of reinstating standardized test requirements like the SAT or ACT. In a June 11 letter, UC Academic Senate Chair Ahmet Palazoglu stated that the Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools (BOARS) had launched a faculty-led process to assess admissions policies, particularly the use of standardized tests and the A-G subject requirements for high school graduates. The review follows growing faculty concerns about declining academic preparedness among incoming students. A UC San Diego report from November 2023 revealed a sharp decline in first-year students’ math, writing, and language skills since UC dropped test requirements in 2020. Between 2020 and 2025, students entering with below-high-school math proficiency surged nearly thirtyfold, with 70% falling below middle-school levels. The decline has been attributed to factors like the COVID-19 pandemic, grade inflation, and increased enrollment from under-resourced high schools. Earlier this month, over 1,400 UC professors—many in STEM fields—signed an open letter calling for reinstating SAT/ACT math requirements for STEM majors starting in 2027. They argued that removing test scores created a ‘permanent vulnerability’ and warned that UC’s own prior research predicted these outcomes. BOARS will evaluate admissions policies through two faculty-led workgroups: one examining standardized test use (ACT, SAT, or Smarter Balanced scores) and another reviewing high-school course requirements. The goal is to balance access to UC education with ensuring students are prepared for college-level work. The review process and related documents are available on the BOARS website.