Professor Julie J. Park suggests, in an op-ed for Inside Higher Ed, that the University of California, San Diego, doesn’t need to reinstate SAT/ACT requirements to ensure student success. Despite concerns about a rise in students needing developmental math since the University of California (UC) system adopted test-free admissions in 2020, data show first- to second-year retention rates have remained steady. She believes that rather than reintroducing high-stakes testing, campuses should invest in early interventions and resources to help students bridge preparation gaps.
Some think the UC admissions policy is setting students up to fail. They argue that without required testing, the UC system lacks the tools that it needs to keep [students who need developmental math] out.
More UCSD students need support in math, so it’s a good thing they’re attending one of the nation’s best-resourced institutions. Indeed, UCSD’s math department mapped out a plan of attack on how they can target students for earlier intervention and support.
Yes, there are many challenges with K-12 math preparation. Accordingly, university departments need to rework their practices to support students, and they should receive the necessary resources. Still, it’s hard to see what returning to required standardized testing would bring. If the goal is to exclude students who still have a very high chance of graduating, then perhaps it’s the right approach. However, if the goal is to advance both excellence and social mobility, the test-free experiment at the UCs actually seems to be going pretty well.
Read the rest in Inside Higher Ed.
