We urge University of California leadership and faculty to reject efforts to reinstate the SAT and instead invest in the academic support systems that help all students succeed.

Supporters of reinstating the SAT argue that too many students are entering UC STEM programs without sufficient math preparation and that a standardized test should serve as a benchmark for readiness. But unequal college preparation is the predictable result of unequal access to educational opportunity. As long as the UC remains committed to educating students from diverse backgrounds, differences in academic preparation will persist because of unequal access to quality schools, advanced coursework, tutoring, and other educational opportunities. Reinstating the SAT will only reinforce these inequities.

A student's level of preparation should not be mistaken for their potential to succeed. Research conducted by the University of California has found that SAT scores add little value beyond holistic admissions while disproportionately disadvantaging students from under-resourced schools and historically marginalized communities (Geiser, 2016). It is inequitable to deny students access to a UC education based on a single standardized test when they have otherwise demonstrated the ability and promise to succeed. If the UC is concerned about college readiness, the solution should not be to create another admissions barrier, but to strengthen the academic support that helps students thrive once they arrive.

Evidence from UC campuses already points to the effectiveness of investing in student success after admission rather than creating new barriers before it. At UC Santa Barbara, students who need additional preparation are encouraged to complete a summer precalculus course at a local community college before their first term, which has been found to help most students bridge the gap before classes begin. Rather than screening out students based on a standardized test, the UC should continue expanding bridge programs, placement assessments, and academic support that help students succeed.

The University of California has long been a driver of opportunity and social mobility. If the UC is serious about educational equity, it must be prepared to meet promising students where they are, and not simply admit those who already had every educational advantage. The question is not whether every admitted student arrives equally prepared. They never have. The question is whether the UC will continue to expand opportunity or retreat to a system that rewards privilege over potential.

Reject the reinstatement of the SAT. Invest in students instead.

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