Citing 'severe' math deficits, UC faculty demand a return to SAT tests for STEM
UC faculty are calling for the return of SAT/ACT requirements in STEM admissions after seeing large numbers of undergraduates arrive needing remediation in middle‑school mathematics, even at selective campuses like UC San Diego. Commenters debate whether standardized tests are an essential neutral baseline in an era of grade inflation and uneven high-school standards, or an inequitable barrier that favors students with access to test prep. Much of the conversation points instead to deeper structural problems in K–12 education, pandemic disruptions, device‑driven distraction, and policy shifts that de-emphasize advanced math and rigorous gatekeeping.
Role of SAT / Standardized Testing
- Many argue removing SAT/ACT exposed and amplified grade inflation: a 4.0 from a weak school is indistinguishable from a 4.0 from a rigorous one.
- Standardized tests are seen as a relatively cheap, objective signal compared to costly extracurriculars, private tutoring, and sports pathways that favor the wealthy.
- Critics note test prep is itself a big-money industry; rich families can buy high-end coaching, and SAT math is considered too easy and compressed at the top.
- Several commenters say SATs are good for coarse screening (e.g., hundreds of points) but not fine-grained ranking; some suggest bucketed scores plus lotteries or weighted lotteries.
Math Preparedness and Remediation in UC
- UC faculty report first‑year STEM students needing re‑teaching of elementary and middle‑school math, with UCSD’s lowest remedial cohort ballooning from a few dozen to hundreds.
- Professors describe pressure not to fail large fractions of classes and to dilute rigor, while also being unable to cover required curricula if they reteach basics.
- Some note this is not entirely new (other state schools used placement tests and remedial tracks decades ago) but agree current scale is unprecedented.
K‑12 System, California Policy, and “Equity”
- Many blame K‑12 changes in California: detracking, delaying or throttling algebra and calculus, and focusing on “equity” over acceleration, which pushes advanced instruction into private/after‑school programs.
- Others stress COVID disruptions, weak curricula, and political mandates to pass students regardless of mastery.
- There’s disagreement on funding: some say CA schools are underfunded; others provide figures showing large, rising per‑pupil spending with declining outcomes.
Equality vs Equity Debate
- One camp says “equity” has become de facto pursuit of equal outcomes, yielding lowered standards, scrapping gifted programs, and race‑based admissions adjustments.
- Another camp counters that educational equity is about removing barriers (poverty, disability, bad schools), not guaranteeing identical results; failing to address this cements inherited advantage.
- Long subthread debates race, SAT score gaps, affirmative action, and whether disparate outcomes imply systemic bias or reflect broader socioeconomic and ability differences.
Technology, Attention, and Learning
- Several teachers and parents say mandatory laptops/iPads and smartphones undermine focus; handwriting and paper are seen as superior for math and retention.
- Others note that tech can help but is being inserted for its own sake; social media and “TikTok brain” are blamed for reduced attention spans.
Suggested Remedies
- Re‑instate SAT/ACT (and possibly more advanced subject tests) for STEM admissions.
- Use universal placement tests and scaled remedial programs, potentially pre‑matriculation.
- Restore tracking and gifted/advanced math paths while preserving access routes for underprepared but capable students.
- Broader ideas include vouchers/charters, stricter failing policies with easier entry, and refocusing schools on mastery rather than metrics or ideology.