UC Faculty Push to Reinstate SAT/ACT for STEM Applicants: What Students Should Know

As UC faculty push to reinstate SAT/ACT requirements for STEM applicants, more than 800 University of California professors, a number that has since grown to over 1,000 as additional faculty signed on, are calling on UC leadership to act. The push comes not as a policy change, but as a formal open letter urging the UC Board of Regents and the Office of the President to reinstate SAT/ACT math score requirements for STEM majors.

---

Why UC Faculty Are Pushing to Reinstate SAT/ACT

The core concern is a widening gap in students' mathematical preparation. The open letter points to stark differences in readiness among students entering engineering, science, economics, and other quantitatively demanding fields. Some faculty report having to reteach middle school mathematics in the same classes where they are also expected to cover university-level material.

The faculty cited a November 2025 report from the UC San Diego Senate-Administration Workgroup on Admissions, which found that the number of incoming first-year students with math skills below a middle school level increased nearly 30-fold since 2020 — the year UC first suspended its standardized testing requirement. Faculty argue this reflects a systemic issue with college readiness, not simply individual variation.

---

What UC's Current Policy Actually Says

UC remains test-blind. SAT and ACT scores are not considered in admissions decisions or scholarship awards. Scores may be used in limited ways after enrollment, such as course placement, but they play no role in whether a student is admitted.

This situation is best understood as faculty pressure for change, not a change itself. No policy revision has been confirmed. BOARS met on June 5 to discuss college readiness and admissions policy, and the committee has indicated it is working toward a policy roadmap for the coming academic year. As of June 2026, UC's admissions policy remains test-blind.

---

What Students and Families Should Take Away

This debate raises a question that goes beyond any single test: how should universities assess whether an applicant is genuinely prepared for rigorous academic work? For students targeting STEM majors, that question is directly relevant. GPA alone — in an era of grade inflation and AI-assisted application essays — may not tell the full story. The rigor of courses taken, math progression, and AP, IB, or dual enrollment records carry increasing weight.

UC Berkeley math professor Zvezdelina Stankova, one of the letter's lead organizers, noted in an NPR interview that even students enrolled in special remedial math courses face a failure rate of up to 46% when they arrive without adequate preparation. For families, the more useful question is not "will the SAT/ACT come back?" but "is my student actually prepared for the math demands of their intended major?" Admissions policies will continue to shift, but a strong foundation in mathematics and a consistent academic record remain the most reliable competitive advantage.

---

Conclusion

UC's ongoing discussion points to something larger than the fate of one standardized test. It reflects a broader reckoning with how universities measure academic readiness and what happens when that measurement is removed. The direction of UC's policy will become clearer as BOARS continues its review. For now, regardless of what UC ultimately decides, students aiming for STEM fields are best served by building genuine mathematical strength today, not waiting to see how the policy debate resolves.