Imagine coming home from school only to spend hours studying for the SAT. Your summers and weekends disappear into textbook readings and practice problems, and eventually you earn an impressive score in the 97th percentile. Naturally, you hope that the colleges and scholarships you apply to will recognize your hard work.
But what if your score never received the recognition it deserved? What if it was never even considered? Like many other students who performed well on the SAT, this is a reality I recently experienced due to the University of California’s test-blind admissions policy.
Of course, like any major exam, studying for the SAT can feel like an additional layer of stress—especially for first-generation college students whose families cannot afford expensive tutors, as was the case for me. However, I believe SAT scores should once again be considered in University of California admissions because the exam effectively measures college readiness and helps create a more equitable admissions process.
First, the SAT fulfills its intended purpose as a benchmark for college academic readiness. A 2025 National Bureau of Economic Research study found that students with perfect SAT scores achieved college GPAs more than half a letter grade higher than students in the 75th percentile. As expected, students who perform better on the SAT also tend to perform better in college, even when factors such as ethnicity and family income are taken into account. This demonstrates that the SAT successfully measures a student’s readiness for college-level academics.
Some may argue that the SAT is unnecessary because colleges already evaluate high school GPA. However, GPA alone can be an unreliable measure of academic ability. A student’s GPA may be inflated due to generous weighting policies or deflated due to differences in course rigor between schools. In fact, the same study found that students with a 4.0 GPA in high school earned college GPAs only about 0.1 points higher, on average, than students who had a 3.2 GPA. In other words, while higher SAT scores strongly correlate with higher college GPAs, high school GPA alone does not.
Including SAT scores alongside GPA provides admissions officers with a more complete view of a student’s academic preparation. This combination creates a fairer admissions process that does not rely solely on subjective grading systems that vary widely between schools.
The consequences of relying on GPA alone can already be seen at some University of California campuses. At the University of California, San Diego, the number of freshmen taking remedial math courses below the middle school level increased thirtyfold between 2020 and 2025. According to reports, nearly one in eight incoming students—many with 4.0 high school math GPAs—cannot pass placement tests on basic arithmetic. If SAT scores had been considered during admissions, many of these students likely would not have been admitted, as the SAT requires math proficiency through Algebra II. Notably, this math crisis began the same year the University of California adopted its test-blind policy. This is likely not a coincidence: inflated high school GPAs allowed academically unprepared students to be admitted.
This issue not only exposes flaws in the UC admissions system but also takes away spots from hardworking students who are truly prepared for college-level academics. Additionally, it strains universities’ resources by forcing them to expand remedial education when those resources could instead support students who are ready for the academic rigor of UC campuses.
When it comes to low-income students—who are often said to be disadvantaged by standardized testing—the SAT can actually provide valuable opportunities for upward mobility. Reinstating the SAT in UC admissions could help high-achieving low-income students qualify for merit-based scholarships that make college more affordable. It also gives students from underrepresented backgrounds an objective way to demonstrate their academic ability.
Currently, athletes often have significant opportunities to distinguish themselves in the admissions process. However, athletic accomplishments frequently depend on expensive club teams, specialized training, summer camps, and parents with the time and resources to support them. Low-income students are far less likely to have access to these opportunities. By reintroducing the SAT, UC admissions would provide non-athletic, academically strong students from low-income backgrounds with another meaningful way to stand out.
Another common criticism of the SAT is that students who can afford private tutoring tend to achieve higher scores. While tutoring can certainly provide an advantage, it is not the only path to success. In my own experience preparing for the SAT without a tutor, I relied on free online resources and affordable textbooks. With consistent effort, I was able to achieve a higher score than some of my peers who had access to private tutors. Wealth has always been an advantage in the college admissions process, but that reality should not justify eliminating a tool that provides valuable academic insight.
The SAT is not a perfect measure of academic ability, but it remains one of the most objective tools available for evaluating college readiness. By reinstating the SAT in University of California admissions and ensuring that all students have equal access to testing—such as by hosting exams at schools like state assessments—the UC system can create a fairer and more effective admissions process. It is time to bring the SAT back as a meaningful factor in UC admissions.
Edited by Camille Ng
