UC faculty push for SAT return in STEM amid severe math deficits

More than 600 University of California faculty members, spearheaded by mathematicians at UC Berkeley, have signed an open letter demanding the reinstatement of SAT or ACT requirements for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors by fall 2027. The academics argue that six years of test-optional admissions have created severe preparation gaps, forcing instructors to teach middle-school mathematics to incoming students who lack the foundational fluency required for college-level STEM coursework.

The letter, addressed to top UC leaders, warns that without standardised testing, the system cannot reliably assess student readiness. It highlights data from fall 2021 to fall 2023 showing that at least 20% of Berkeley first-semester calculus students exhibited math deficits on diagnostic exams. Lead organiser Zvezda Stankova, a teaching professor in the Berkeley mathematics department, described a spring 2023 calculus II class where 25% to 30% of students were “in free fall” due to a lack of preparation, noting that basic mathematical fluency is analogous to literacy and essential for success in quantitatively demanding fields.

This demand arrives as the UC Academic Senate’s Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools prepares to discuss system-wide admissions changes. Minutes from the board’s March 6 meeting indicate tentative interest in eventually requiring 11th-grade Smarter Balanced assessment scores for California residents and SAT or ACT scores for non-residents. The board plans to submit an initial draft of policy changes by Sunday and a “final road map” by June 30, marking a potential shift away from the test-optional policy adopted in 2020.

Support for the return to testing is bolstered by broader data on student preparedness. A November report from the UC San Diego Academic Senate work group documented a roughly thirty-fold increase between 2020 and 2025 in incoming first-year students whose math skills tested below high school level, with 70% of those students falling below middle school levels. Additionally, California’s aggregate testing data shows students are approximately a quarter-year behind in math instruction compared to pre-pandemic levels, with only 30.5% of 11th-grade students meeting or exceeding math learning standards.

While faculty argue that standardised testing ensures readiness and helps underrepresented minorities by providing a clear metric for admission, counter-arguments persist. A September 2025 report by Saul Geiser, a former senior UC admissions official, argued that the SAT is a “poor fit” for public universities and that high school GPA outperforms SAT scores in predicting first-year success when income and race are controlled. UC leadership has not formally endorsed the faculty letter but stated they are listening to concerns regarding student preparedness and are working with K-12 and higher education institutions to strengthen instruction.

The debate over admissions testing within the UC system follows a national trend where elite institutions such as Harvard, Stanford, and Caltech have largely resumed standardised testing requirements. The UC’s current policy permits applicants to submit scores for course placement purposes only after admissions decisions have been made. Any change to UC admissions requirements must move through the Academic Senate admissions board committee before going to the Board of Regents.