Why It Matters
The University of California system’s decision on standardized testing could reshape how tens of thousands of California students apply to the state’s most selective public universities. The choice between reinstating SAT requirements and relying on grades and other metrics reflects a broader national tension over how institutions balance academic rigor with equitable access.
What Happened
UC Regents are facing a decision this week on whether to require the SAT for undergraduate admissions. The debate hinges on competing definitions of fairness in higher education.
Proponents of the SAT argue that standardized test scores offer an objective, comparable measure of academic ability across applicants from different schools and backgrounds. They contend the tests predict college success reliably. The New York Times Editorial Board has voiced support for reinstating the requirement.
Opponents, including Robert Kaplan, a senior scholar at Stanford University School of Medicine’s Clinical Excellence Research Center, counter that SAT scores systematically disadvantage historically underrepresented and lower-income students. They argue the test perpetuates educational inequality rather than measuring true academic preparation.
The debate occurs against a backdrop of changing grade patterns at elite schools. Grade inflation and weighted grading systems have made near-perfect GPAs commonplace among applicants to selective universities. In contrast, 50 years ago, a perfect grade point average typically resulted in graduating first in a class. Additionally, recommendation letters rarely identify applicant weaknesses, limiting their ability to differentiate candidates.
By the Numbers
50 years ago — when a perfect GPA often meant graduating first in class, versus today’s prevalence of near-perfect GPAs among elite applicants
Zoom Out
California’s deliberation reflects a national pivot on standardized testing in college admissions. Many universities dropped or suspended SAT and ACT requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic and have debated whether to restore them since. Some institutions have moved toward test-optional policies, while others have reinstated requirements, citing concerns that removing standardized measures widens disparities rather than narrowing them. The tension between access and academic rigor remains unresolved across American higher education.
What’s Next
The UC Regents are expected to announce their decision this week. The outcome will determine admissions requirements for one of the nation’s largest public university systems and may influence how other California institutions and states approach standardized testing policy.