University of California professors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields are sounding the alarm about severe maths deficiencies among their students. “We now observe preparation gaps so severe that instructors must reteach middle school mathematics,” says an open letter signed by more than 600 UC professors. The signatories believe that high school GPAs and essays can no longer serve as adequate signals of academic merit “in an era of severe grade inflation and AI-assisted application essays”. In response, the professors want the SAT reinstated in admissions for STEM majors to uphold academic standards.

This is a relatively new problem. The UC system stopped considering standardised tests such as the SAT and ACT as a temporary measure at the onset of the Covid pandemic in 2020, as the tests were unable to go ahead. This decision was made despite a warning by the Standardized Testing Task Force, which advised against the university making the test optional. But opposition to standardised tests had already been building for years, with concerns over perpetuating racial inequities. The pandemic permitted universities to systematically drop the tests, and intense pressure from progressive activists helped those temporary measures endure.

Now, like many decisions from the era that ignored research in favour of progressive ideology, universities are gradually reversing course. A handful of schools — including MIT, Stanford, and the University of Texas at Austin — have reinstated the SAT/ACT into admissions decisions. The College Board reports that more than 60 schools require standardised tests. Still, over 2,000 colleges do not consider standardised test scores.

The schools that are likely to return to considering tests are highly selective institutions with rigorous academic programmes. Faculty find it challenging to bring academically underperforming students up to speed while also teaching those who are ready for college-level coursework. What’s more, SAT and ACT scores remain useful predictors for college success. But less selective universities, particularly those facing enrolment pressures, may have stronger incentives to remain test-optional.

There is still a steep road ahead for those who support standardised tests in admissions. Many in higher education believe these tests create barriers for racial minorities and low-income students. This is despite evidence showing that such assessments can level the playing field for qualified students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Many also believe that high school GPAs are good substitutes for test scores. That view is reflected in admissions offices, according to a breadth of survey data. Over a decade ago, SAT and ACT scores were considered just as important as high school GPAs in admissions decisions. But in 2023, the most recent year surveyed, 74% of admissions officers said GPAs were very important, while only 5% said the same of SAT or ACT scores.

Some argue that universities were well-intentioned and simply misguided in eliminating the SAT/ACT. But ignoring research and pressuring others to agree are not indicators. University administrators should pay attention to faculty frustration. Students are best served by attending the institutions for which they are adequately prepared. That is fair to both those who meet the standards and to the underprepared students, who need support from institutions equipped to address academic deficiencies.

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Neetu Arnold is a Paulson Policy Analyst at the Manhattan Institute and a Young Voices contributor. Follow her on X @neetu_arnold

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