UCLA Professor Says UC’s Test-Optional Policy Failed to Reduce Racial Disparities in Admissions

A UCLA sociology professor contended Thursday that the University of California system’s decision to eliminate standardized testing requirements has backfired on its stated objective of narrowing racial disparities in student admissions. Gabriel Rossman, who teaches sociology at the Los Angeles campus, told Fox News Digital that UC leadership deliberately removed the SAT and ACT based on concerns that these assessments produced disparate racial outcomes.

The UC system abandoned its standardized testing requirement under then-President Janet Napolitano, who initiated the phase-out in 2020 citing equity concerns. However, Rossman noted a troubling trend emerging after the policy took effect: diversification gains that had accumulated over two decades plateaued in 2020, particularly among Latino and white student enrollment ratios, while Black and Asian student populations remained relatively unchanged.

More than 3,000 UC faculty members have signed open letters calling for reinstatement of the SAT and ACT in undergraduate admissions. Following an initial effort by mathematics and science professors, faculty from social sciences, humanities, arts, business, law, and education departments added their support, specifically endorsing use of both the math and verbal reasoning components of standardized tests.

In response to mounting faculty pressure, UC’s Academic Council directed its Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools on July 22 to conduct a comprehensive, evidence-based examination of standardized testing in undergraduate admissions. Rossman characterized the current policy as “ironic,” arguing it has proven counterproductive to promoting enrollment equity.

Analysis by The Oakland Report, a Bay Area policy publication, found that removing test scores weakened UC’s ability to identify high-achieving applicants from under-resourced schools. The outlet concluded the policy ignored fundamental causes of racial disparity while eliminating a critical tool for assessing academic preparedness.

UC Berkeley mathematics professor Zvezdelina Stankova documented a sharp decline in student preparation levels since the test-blind policy took effect. University diagnostic data showed that from 2018 to 2020, 71 percent of approximately 2,200 calculus students tested demonstrated readiness or near-readiness, with only 0.14 percent scoring below basic algebra. By 2021 to 2023, just 51 percent of roughly 2,800 students achieved that readiness level, dropping further to 44 percent in 2023, with 17 percent unable to correctly answer any questions across eight fundamental math topics.

Neetu Arnold, a policy analyst at the Manhattan Institute, expressed concern about losing an objective admissions metric, arguing that standardized tests actually provide greater accessibility for working-class students compared to expensive extracurricular activities and test preparation services. She told Fox News Digital the shift represents a “misallocation of talent” within the university system.

Stankova called on all UC faculty to work with campus admissions committees to support the Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools’ anticipated recommendation to restore standardized testing requirements. She emphasized that incorporating academic merit alongside a holistic admissions approach remains essential to UC’s future institutional strength.