A Cal State professor argues that eliminating SAT requirements for college admissions, intended to promote inclusivity, is resulting in widespread academic unpreparedness among students.
Andrea Mays, an economics professor at California State University, Long Beach, has raised concerns about the negative impact of removing standardized tests like the SAT from college admissions criteria. She attributes a significant number of incoming students' struggles in basic coursework to this policy shift, particularly as many of them spent crucial learning years during the COVID-19 pandemic in online education. Mays argues that the intention behind scrapping the SAT, which was to create a more inclusive environment, may inadvertently be harming the very students it aimed to help.
Moreover, Mays highlights alarming statistics about student retention and performance at the university level; she notes that there has been a phenomenal increase in drop rates, with reports indicating up to 25% of students withdrawing from their courses. This trend points to a broader issue of students lacking the foundational skills needed to succeed in college, especially in subjects like math, where many are entering with significant gaps in their education. The impact of the pandemic and the shift away from standardized testing could lead to long-term consequences for the academic trajectory of these students and the university system overall.
The implications of Mays' assertions extend beyond individual student performance; they raise questions about the effectiveness of current admissions policies in addressing educational inequality. If students are arriving at college unprepared, this could undermine the mission of institutions aiming to foster inclusivity and support for all learners. Moving forward, this issue will require careful examination of how educational policies align with student success and the types of support systems necessary to help students thrive in higher education environments.
