Look, I've been following what's happening at the UC system pretty closely, and there's an interesting debate brewing about standardized testing that's worth understanding. According to CalMatters Housing, back in 2020 the UC system made the decision to stop using the SAT and ACT for freshman admissions, and what's interesting is that contrary to what some predicted, graduation rates have actually improved and more students are coming back for their second year since then.
However, and this is a pretty significant however, around 3,000 UC professors across different disciplines got together this summer and sent out open letters saying they're seeing real problems. These faculty members, who represent a fraction of the system's teaching staff, are reporting that their students just aren't ready for college-level work, particularly when it comes to math and writing skills. They're making the case that without the SAT as a screening tool, the university system isn't catching students who might struggle with the academic rigor they'll face.
What's happening now is that UC leadership has asked a committee to take a hard look at whether standardized tests should come back. They're supposed to deliver a detailed report by mid-February, and then the UC Academic Senate will make recommendations by June to the Board of Regents, who ultimately get to make the final call on this. The thing is, it's not totally clear what happens after those recommendations come in.
The arguments on both sides are pretty familiar ones. The professors pushing for the SAT say it's a better predictor of college success than high school grades alone. On the other side, critics point out that standardized tests tend to favor students from wealthier families, and the UC Student Association, representing over 237,000 undergraduates, came out against bringing the SAT back, noting that diversity at the university actually increased after 2020 without it. Even Janet Napolitano, who was UC's president when they voted to drop the test, said recently she wouldn't call it a silver bullet, though she seems open to reconsidering its role.
What I am seeing locally is that this debate matters tremendously for families throughout the Bay Area and East Bay who are thinking about their kids' futures at the UC system. Whether or not the SAT comes back will likely affect how students prepare in high school and how families approach college planning around here, and given that housing decisions often get tied up with school quality and educational opportunities, this is something worth paying attention to as parents and community members.
