Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The pandemic prompted many universities to drop standardized-testing requirements for applicants, and a lot of institutions remain test-optional today. But some high-profile universities, including all of the members of the Ivy League, have since reinstated their testing requirements. Even the University of California, which has been a leader in the “test free” movement, now plans to revisit its policy. What’s driving the return-to-test trend, and how do skeptics of standardized testing feel about the changing national mood?
Related Reading
Does the SAT Really Help Colleges Find ‘Diamonds in the Rough’? (chronicle.com/article/does-the-sat-really-help-colleges-find-diamonds-in-the-rough) (The Chronicle)
A Great University Undermines Its Mission (nytimes.com/2026/07/06/opinion/university-california-sat-testing-admissions.html) (The New York Times)
Report of the Academic Council’s Standardized Testing Task Force (https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/committees/sttf/reports.html) (U. of California)
Why the UC Taskforce’s Findings are Spurious (https://cshe.berkeley.edu/publications/satact-scores-high-school-gpa-and-problem-omitted-variable-bias-why-uc-taskforce%E2%80%99s) (Saul Geiser)
Guest
Jon Boeckenstedt (jonboeckenstedt.com/) , former vice provost of enrollment management at Oregon State University
For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters (chronicle.com/collegematters) . We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.
The pandemic prompted many universities to drop standardized-testing requirements for applicants, and a lot of institutions remain test-optional today. But some high-profile universities, including all of the members of the Ivy League, have since reinstated their testing requirements. Even the University of California, which has been a leader in the “test free” movement, now plans to revisit its policy. What’s driving the return-to-test trend, and how do skeptics of standardized testing feel about the changing national mood?
Related Reading
Does the SAT Really Help Colleges Find ‘Diamonds in the Rough’? (chronicle.com/article/does-the-sat-really-help-colleges-find-diamonds-in-the-rough) (The Chronicle)
A Great University Undermines Its Mission (nytimes.com/2026/07/06/opinion/university-california-sat-testing-admissions.html) (The New York Times)
Report of the Academic Council’s Standardized Testing Task Force (https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/committees/sttf/reports.html) (U. of California)
Why the UC Taskforce’s Findings are Spurious (https://cshe.berkeley.edu/publications/satact-scores-high-school-gpa-and-problem-omitted-variable-bias-why-uc-taskforce%E2%80%99s) (Saul Geiser)
Guest
Jon Boeckenstedt (jonboeckenstedt.com/) , former vice provost of enrollment management at Oregon State University
For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters (chronicle.com/collegematters) . We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.
