In a New York Times op-ed, Miriam Pawl argues that eliminating standardized tests like the SAT at the University of California has made admissions more inclusive without sacrificing academic excellence, despite some students struggling with basic math. She cites statistics showing increased diversity and graduation rates among first-generation and low-income students. However, critics point out declining student proficiency levels in subjects like mathematics, with over 680 professors urging a return to test requirements due to the need to reteach middle school-level material in college courses.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Miriam Pawel, in her book "California Dream: The Making and Remaking of the University of California," argues against reinstating SAT requirements for admissions at the University of California (UC) system. Despite acknowledging that many students struggle with "basic math," she highlights the UC's commitment to increasing access without compromising excellence. She notes that around 40% of UC students are first-generation college attendees, and more than half qualify for free tuition. Pawel cites data showing a significant increase in applications from high-achieving Black and Latino students at UCLA after SAT requirements were eliminated in 2021. Additionally, she attributes part of the progress to initiatives like the California Dream Act, which provides financial aid and in-state tuition rates for undocumented students.
Written for “SAT Controversy” on 2026-09-18,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.65, but 1 quote(s) could not be found in the article and the other 3 are attributed speech rather than the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 16996: no verified evidence · logged 2026-09-18
A New York Times writer came out swinging against the push to bring back admissions tests at the University of California — even as she admitted that students are struggling with “basic math.”
asserted
students → come → math
But all of that is worth it, Miriam Pawal argued, because the university is now more inclusive.
asserted
university → argue → that
“Students on University of California campuses may struggle with basic math, but they are graduating at record rates,” she wrote, hailing the “exceptional” university system for its “commitment to increase access without sacrificing excellence.”
uncertain
she → struggle → excellence
She buttressed her point with statistics about how around 40% of its students are the first in their families to attend college.
asserted
% → buttress → college
“More than half qualify for free tuition,” she gushed.
asserted
she → qualify → tuition
“When the University of California eliminated the SAT requirement for admission in 2021, UCLA saw a significant jump in applications from high-achieving black and Latino students, for whom the standardized tests had been a barrier,” she said.
asserted
she → eliminate → whom
“The percentages of underrepresented students have crept up, through a variety of initiatives.
asserted
percentages → creep → initiatives
The California Dream Act gave undocumented students access to financial aid, as well as in-state tuition.”
asserted
Act → give → state
Pawal has been doing the rounds promoting her new book, “California Dream: The Making and Remaking of the University of California” — which cases the nation’s largest and most prestigious public university system as first and foremost “an engine of upward mobility.”
asserted
which → do → mobility
“The problem is that the UCs did sacrifice excellence to increase access,” one commenter said.
“
asserted
commenter → sacrifice → access
As a UCLA and UC Berkeley alum, I am deeply concerned that the UC’s current admissions criteria are incompatible with maintaining the standards of excellence and ultimately the reputations of UCLA and UC Berkeley relative to other top 20 universities,” another said.
asserted
another → maintain → universities
The University of California Board of Regents voted in 2020 to stop considering SAT and ACT scores in admissions after lawyers representing low-income students argued the exams were “racist.”
asserted
exams → vote → students
But now student standards are falling, and professors are revolting over students who haven’t even mastered high school math or can can barely read a sentence.
asserted
who → fall → sentence
Some students arrive at UC campuses — which are continually ranked among the best in the nation — “five to eight years behind” in math, according to the profs.
uncertain
which → arrive → profs
More than 680 professors across the University of California system signed an open letter in May urging the tests be reinstated, saying they’ve had to water down curricula to the point they’ve been forced to teach “middle school” math in Calculus and other courses.
“We now observe preparation gaps so severe that instructors must re-teach middle school mathematics while simultaneously teaching the material students need for sciences, engineering, economics and other quantitatively demanding fields,” the letter read.
uncertain
letter → sign → sciences
“Furthermore, the widening spread between underprepared and well-prepared students creates polarized courses, weakening the foundation available to many students and making it harder to teach at the level required for advanced STEM work,” the professors continued.
asserted
professors → widen → work
But Pawal brushed off the teachers’ concerns in her missive, arguing the real issue at hand is getting students through the door and putting diplomas in hands, whether they can do math or not.
asserted
they → brush → math
“The University of California needs to redouble its commitment to forge its own path, to remain a beacon of hope, albeit flickering,” she wrote.
asserted
she → need → hope
“Now is not the moment to regress.”
asserted
moment → regress → ?
The Aporia
