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UC Professors Demand SAT/ACT Return for STEM Admissions—Is the Test the Answer?

A Crisis in College Readiness

In a bold move, over 600 UC professors—primarily from math departments—have signed a letter urging the university system to reinstate SAT or ACT scores for STEM admissions. Their reasoning? Without standardized testing, they argue, students arrive at college unprepared, forcing professors to reteach middle school math while tackling college-level calculus.

At UC Berkeley, some first-year students performed so poorly on math placement tests that faculty now say they must rebuild foundational skills before advancing. The consequences? Lower retention rates, frustrated students, and a diluted college experience.

The Testing Debate: Fairness vs. Preparedness

This isn’t the first time the issue has surfaced. In 2020, UC dropped testing requirements, citing concerns that SAT/ACT scores were biased against low-income and minority students. But now, faculty argue that removing tests doesn’t help these students—it just sends them into classrooms where they’ll fail.

Some elite schools, like Harvard and Stanford, have brought back testing requirements—but UC remains undecided. The university claims it’s listening to both sides, yet no clear policy has emerged.

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The Data Doesn’t Lie: California’s Math Crisis

The numbers tell a stark story. Before the pandemic, California students were already struggling in math—and post-COVID, the gap has widened dramatically.

• Only 30% of 11th graders meet state math standards.
• Most incoming UC students lack the skills for college-level STEM work.

Without a standardized measure of readiness, critics argue, UC is setting students up for failure—especially those from under-resourced schools.

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The Counterargument: Grades vs. Test Scores

Not everyone supports a return to testing. Some researchers claim high school grades are a better predictor of college success than standardized tests. Others warn that wealthier students will still gain an unfair advantage through expensive test prep.

UC already uses placement tests after admission, but professors argue these are too late—students must be screened before they enroll.

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What’s Next? A Delicate Balance

The decision isn’t final. UC’s admissions board is weighing a compromise: possibly requiring test scores for STEM applicants while maintaining flexibility for others.

But the debate exposes a fundamental tension in higher education:

• Fairness vs. readiness
• Access vs. standards

Can UC find a middle ground—or will the crisis of unprepared students continue to grow? </ formatted article >