A California State University professor is raising concerns about significant academic deficiencies she observes in her classroom, attributing much of the problem to the state’s decision to eliminate standardized testing requirements in the name of inclusivity.
Andrea Mays, an economics professor at Cal State Long Beach, reports that current college students are arriving on campus fundamentally unprepared for basic coursework. The problem, she argues, stems from two converging factors: the educational disruption caused by remote learning during the pandemic and the California State University system’s elimination of SAT requirements for admission.
The consequences are measurable and troubling. Drop rates have increased substantially, with Mays describing the rise as “phenomenal.” Department chairs across the university confirm the problem is widespread, with approximately 25 percent of students dropping classes. Mathematics courses present particular challenges, with students demonstrating severe gaps in foundational knowledge.
“I teach a class that is offered for non-economics majors,” Mays explained. “I could put on an index card exactly what math is required for my class. It is not calculus, and they are struggling with it. They are embarrassed, they are demoralized. They come into my office hours and say, I never learned this stuff. I do not know how to calculate a percentage change.”
Mays can provide individual assistance to students who seek help, but she notes that many others are too embarrassed to ask for support and simply withdraw from courses instead.
The professor recently authored an opinion piece titled “Bring back the SAT at CSU — or admit we are failing our own students,” in which she challenged the reasoning behind the policy change. According to Mays, university officials justified eliminating the SAT requirement by stating they wanted to be more inclusive.
“I am definitely for inclusivity on our campus,” Mays said. “We have a very diverse campus here. But I think it is fraud to tell people that what we are doing is so that we can be inclusive when really what we are doing is we are allowing people to enter that we know are really going to have a difficult time of it. They have no idea.”
The professor’s assessment raises fundamental questions about the nature of educational opportunity and equity. While proponents of eliminating standardized testing argue that such requirements create barriers for disadvantaged students, Mays contends that admitting unprepared students without adequate support structures constitutes a different kind of disservice.
The current cohort of college students faced unique challenges during their middle school years, when pandemic-related closures forced learning online. That disruption compounded existing educational inequalities, leaving many students without the foundational skills necessary for college-level work.
The situation at Cal State Long Beach reflects broader national trends. Recent assessments have shown alarming declines in science, mathematics, and reading scores across the country, suggesting that the educational impact of pandemic-era policies extends far beyond California’s borders.
Mays argues that the solution requires honest acknowledgment of the problem. Universities must either reinstate objective measures of academic preparedness or fundamentally restructure their approach to supporting underprepared students. The current approach, she suggests, serves neither the cause of inclusivity nor the interests of the students it purports to help.
The debate over standardized testing requirements continues to divide educators and policymakers. What remains clear, however, is that the consequences of these policy decisions are now visible in classrooms across California’s university system.
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