US Students Entering University Struggle With Maths
The debate over whether high school students in the United States are adequately prepared for college-level mathematics has moved onto the Senate’s agenda. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana has sent official letters to approximately 35 selective colleges and universities, seeking information on the mathematics proficiency of incoming first-year students.
The inquiry follows a report released in November by the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego), which found a significant increase over the past five years in the number of first-year students requiring remedial mathematics courses. Assessments of the report cited several contributing factors, including insufficient emphasis on foundational math skills at the K–12 level, declining academic standards, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education, and UC San Diego’s decision to eliminate standardized testing requirements such as the SAT and ACT for university admissions.
As part of the Senate’s inquiry, universities were asked to provide mathematics placement data for first-year students from 2019 to 2025, descriptions of remedial math courses, and explanations of the criteria used to place students into mathematics classes. Institutions were also asked whether they require the SAT, ACT, or similar mathematics assessments as part of their admissions process.
Following the release of the report, some commentators argued that reinstating standardized testing requirements would help ensure students’ college readiness. This position has been supported by the administration of President Donald Trump, which in recent months sent letters to several universities proposing a “compact for excellence in higher education” that would require applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores in exchange for preferential access to federal funding.