New York Times editorial urges UC to reverse test-blind admissions

More than six years after the University of California Board of Regents voted to stop using standardized test scores in undergraduate admissions, the New York Times Editorial Board is calling on the UC system to reverse course.

Inside an editorial In an article published Monday, the paper’s editorial board called the UC system’s decision a “terrible” mistake that left students less prepared for college courses. This editorial comes just days before the UC Board of Regents is expected to consider reconsidering the policy.

The UC system in 2019 convened the Standardized Testing Task Force (STTF), an 18-member committee comprised of professors from all 10 campuses. The committee’s mandate was to examine how the UC system uses standardized test scores in undergraduate admissions. About a year later, the group published a 225-page report containing its findings and recommendations.

“STTF found that standardized test scores help predict important aspects of student success, including undergraduate grade point average (UGPA), retention, and completion,” the group’s report said.

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Although the group concluded that scores play an important role in predicting student performance, the UC system decided in 2020 to no longer consider them, opting instead for a “blind testing” approach. This meant that schools in the UC system would not accept test scores even from students who wanted to submit them. The decision came at a time when the world was struggling with the Covid-19 epidemic.

The paper’s editorial board said the results of the “blind testing” approach were “horrifying,” noting that a faculty group at UC San Diego last year reported a sharp decline in the academic preparation of new students.

The Times Editorial Board added: “Last fall, for example, nearly 12 percent of UCSD freshmen did not qualify to take pre-calculus, a low-level class, compared with just 0.5 percent in 2020.”

The Times acknowledged that broader education challenges such as artificial intelligence, COVID-19 school closures and the distraction of smartphones were emerging, but argued that the decline in UC students’ preparedness was “larger than the decline elsewhere.” The article said this underscores the role of the UC system’s test-blind policy.

UC faculty members are calling on the university system to reimpose standardized testing requirements, saying the blind testing policy leaves students unprepared for college classes. (Getty Images)

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In response to Fox News Digital’s request for comment, a UC spokesperson noted the statement made by UC Academic Senate President Ahmet Palazoğlu.

“Academic preparation and student success are important priorities at the University of California. That’s why the UC faculty Academic Senate is conducting a comprehensive, data-driven review of how best to assess college readiness and support student success at UC,” Palazoğlu said in the statement.

“The review will go far beyond previous studies on this topic because much has changed in the educational landscape since the UC Board of Regents adopted a test-blind undergraduate admissions policy in 2020. Based on authority granted by the Board of Regents, the UC faculty Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools (BOARS) is leading the review of UC’s admissions policies and criteria.”

This editorial comes as UC faculty members call for the return of standardized testing requirements.

Groups of UC faculty members sent two letters urging the university to reverse its blind exam policy. More than 2,300 of UC’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) faculty signed a letter, while more than 900 UC humanities faculty also signed a letter a similar one.

“Hiding preparation gaps harms both individual students and the university collectively. It provides the appearance of access while undermining chances for success,” the letter said. Studied STEM faculty.

The University of California’s decision to eliminate standardized testing requirements was a “terrible” mistake, the New York Times Editorial Board said. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

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Despite pleas from professors, the UC system has not moved to reverse the testing policy. Instead, he decided to form a new committee to review the pros and cons of restarting testing.

The Times Editorial Board noted that Janet Napolitano, who served as university president in 2020 and supported the blind testing policy, was in favor of restoring test scores. He told the paper that the blind testing policy was a “valuable experiment”, but the results “made it increasingly clear that the experiment needed to be reconsidered.”

The editor noted that the UC system was not alone in deciding to no longer consider test scores during the pandemic. However, many schools that made the same choice later reinstated this requirement. While some continue to stick to the exam, others have started requiring scores for admission. The list of schools that require students to submit scores includes Harvard, Brown, Georgia Tech, Purdue, Yale, Princeton, Stanford and the California Institute of Technology. The Times noted that both the Naval Academy and West Point required test scores.

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The Times Editorial Board also cited Brown University President Christina Paxson as saying: in a letter that standardized test scores are better predictors of academic performance than high school grades. He admitted that there were valid concerns about the tests and that the question of whether the benefits outweighed the drawbacks remained “empirical.”

“The board of trustees, known as the university’s trustees, will have the final say. At their next meeting on July 14, they must have the courage to admit they made a mistake six years ago and reverse it,” the Times Editorial Board said.