Colleges Rethink Test-Optional Policies Amid Declining Student Performance
Following a significant shift during the pandemic, over 90% of four-year colleges have stopped requiring freshmen to submit SAT or ACT scores, citing “fairness” as the reason for this change. However, a growing number of professors at prestigious institutions are urging admissions offices to reconsider, as they observe an alarming decline in students’ academic abilities.
A recent report from the University of California, San Diego highlights a troubling trend: the percentage of new students needing math instruction at the middle school or even elementary level has surged from 0.5% in 2020 to 8.5% in 2025.
These standardized tests once played a fundamental role in college admissions. However, in recent years, many schools have moved to make score submissions optional or eliminated them altogether. Critics argue that such tests favor affluent students, particularly white students, while marginalizing those from less wealthy backgrounds.
This shift began in earnest in the 2010s but gained substantial momentum in 2020, spurred by pandemic lockdowns that made proctored testing nearly impossible, leading many institutions to abandon such requirements.
In a concerning development, a letter from faculty members pointed out the severe gap in preparation. It described a situation where teachers must reintroduce middle school mathematics concepts even as they attempt to teach more advanced subjects like science and engineering.
Currently, fewer than 10% of U.S. colleges require applicants to take standardized tests for admission. According to the College Board, only about 60 schools across the country mandate the SAT or ACT.
Yet, some educators are beginning to express regret over the move to test-optional policies, noting a noticeable rise in students lacking basic skills. Reports indicate that some incoming freshmen struggle with even middle school-level math concepts.
This issue has particularly affected the University of California system, which dropped the SAT/ACT requirement back in 2020. Recently, around 1,200 professors from math and science departments signed a letter advocating for reinstating standardized test scores, expressing concerns that classroom standards are deteriorating.
Some of the nation’s top colleges seem to share this viewpoint. Although the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Dartmouth College eliminated testing requirements in 2020, they reinstated them in 2022 and 2024, respectively. Similarly, Yale University removed its requirements during the pandemic but brought them back just last week.
Interestingly, high-achieving students seem to recognize the potential advantages of standardized testing. At Yale, for instance, 90% of applicants submitted their test scores even before it became a requirement again.
As the debate continues, many educators are left to ponder the complexities of balancing fairness in admissions with the necessity of maintaining academic standards.
