Professors across the University of California system have raised concerns about a sharp decline in incoming college students’ math skills, attributing the issue to the elimination of standardized testing requirements for admissions. More than 680 faculty members signed an open letter warning that gaps in mathematical preparedness have reached such a level that instructors are often compelled to reteach foundational middle school math concepts in courses designed for advanced study, including Calculus.

The letter, co-authored by UC Berkeley professors Zvezdelina Stankova, Svetlana Jitomirskaya, John W. Lott, Mina Aganagic, and law professor Chris Jay Hoofnagle, highlights the challenges caused by the growing divide between well-prepared and underprepared students. This polarization, they argue, undermines the ability to teach at the level required for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

The concerns stem from a 2020 decision by the University of California Board of Regents to discontinue mandatory submission of SAT and ACT scores for admissions. This move followed legal challenges asserting that standardized tests disproportionately disadvantaged low-income and minority applicants by favoring those who could afford extensive test preparation. Since the policy’s implementation in fall 2021, applicants are no longer required to provide these standardized test scores, although they may submit them voluntarily.

Critics of the policy cite alarming data from a 2025 report by the UC San Diego Senate-Administration Working Group, which documented a 30-fold increase over five years in freshmen testing below high school-level math. In 2020, just 30 incoming students exhibited such deficiencies; by 2025, that number had increased to approximately 900.

In their statement, the professors argue that standardized testing serves as a critical tool to ensure a baseline level of academic preparation and contend that it should not be viewed as a barrier to equity but rather as a necessary component to achieve it. They emphasize that overlooking the widening preparation gaps threatens both student success and the broader academic mission of the University of California system, which educates over 280,000 students and receives nearly $5 billion in state funding annually.

Supporters of the test-optional policies maintain that eliminating mandatory standardized tests helps diversify the student body and reduce socioeconomic disparities in admissions. However, the faculty letter calls for reinstating testing requirements to address what they describe as a “severe” decline in mathematical readiness, urging the Board of Regents to reconsider the admissions standards to better equip students for college-level STEM coursework.