UC San Diego Report Reveals Steep Decline in Student Math Preparedness, Fuels Debate on Standardized Testing Return

San Diego, CA – A recent report from the University of California San Diego (UCSD) has unveiled a significant decline in the academic preparedness of incoming students, particularly in mathematics, reigniting calls for the University of California (UC) system to reconsider its test-blind admissions policy. The findings corroborate concerns raised by individuals like Armand Domalewski, who stated in a recent tweet, "I totally agree that the UCs should go back to using SATs/ACTs, but the bigger scandal is that there are tons of high schools in California giving out As in Calculus to kids who can’t do basic algebra."

The Senate-Administration Working Group on Admissions (SAWG) at UCSD reported a nearly thirtyfold increase in students whose math skills fall below middle-school level between 2020 and 2025, rising from under 1% to approximately one in eight. This deterioration has forced the university to redesign remedial math courses to cover elementary and middle-school material, alongside a new course addressing high-school algebra and geometry gaps. The report attributes this trend to several factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the elimination of standardized testing, grade inflation, and increased enrollment from under-resourced high schools.

The UC system adopted a test-blind policy in 2020, meaning SAT and ACT scores are not considered for admissions decisions. This move aimed to broaden the applicant pool and address concerns about bias and inequity. However, the SAWG report highlights that this shift has led to an over-reliance on high school grades, which have become less reliable indicators of preparedness due to widespread grade inflation. In 2024, over 25% of students placed into UCSD's most remedial math course had earned a perfect 4.0 GPA in high school math, indicating a significant disconnect between grades and actual skill levels.

The UCSD Mathematics Department has historically found SAT and ACT math scores to be the most accurate predictors of math placement. The SAWG report recommends that UCSD's representative on the Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools (BOARS) advocate for a systemwide re-examination of standardized testing, following the lead of other institutions that have reinstated such measures. This recommendation underscores a growing sentiment that standardized tests provide crucial additional information beyond high school transcripts, which are increasingly affected by varying grading standards.

The university is now developing a "Math Index" to predict an applicant's likelihood of needing remedial math, using transcript data, course history, and the student's high school. This tool aims to address the current lack of reliable predictive information in applicant files since the abandonment of standardized tests, ensuring students are better prepared for their chosen majors and ultimately improving their success rates at the university.