Overview
- Most U.S. four‑year colleges stopped requiring SAT or ACT scores after 2020, with the University of California adopting a formal “test‑blind” policy in 2021 that bars use of scores in admissions.
- More than 1,100 UC math and science professors signed an open letter urging standardized‑test reinstatement for STEM applicants because many incoming students lack basic arithmetic and middle‑school math skills.
- A UC San Diego report cited by faculty found students needing elementary or middle‑school math rose from about 0.5% in 2020 to 8.5% in 2025, and data showed hundreds of freshmen could not do high‑school level math.
- Several elite institutions that went test‑optional during the pandemic have already reversed course—examples include MIT, Harvard, Dartmouth, and Yale—signaling a partial rollback of the test‑optional trend.
- Supporters say tests add predictive value beyond high‑school GPA and can flag unprepared students, while critics say tests favor wealthier applicants; researchers disagree on causes such as grade inflation and AI‑enabled cheating, and UC leaders now face a policy choice with equity and workforce consequences.