To SAT, or not SAT, that is the question

A growing number of people claim being “test blind” to applicants’ SAT scores is lowering standards at the University of California. Math Professor Zvezda Stankova is among the academics calling for SATs to be re-introduced to the admissions process. Jane Street intern applications (episode sponsor): https://jane-st.co/internships2027-NumberphilePod Here’s the Open Letter signed by over 3000 people at UC (including five Nobel laureates, they are keen to point out): https://ucstudentsuccess.org/ 

This New York Times editorial gave the issue extra prominence: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/06/opinion/university-california-sat-testing-admissions.html This LA Times comment pieces argues against re-introducing SATs to the process: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-07-08/chabria-column-uc-sat-act-admissions Numberphile videos with Zvezda: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt5AfwLFPxWIbAPK1oJgRIpe0sWiPKkQ4 Numberphile Podcast interview with Zvezda about her life and career: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGbASf6W7SE Numberphile is supported by Jane Street - https://www.numberphile.com/jane-street With thanks to the Ben Delo Foundation - https://delo.org/ You can support Numberphile on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/numberphile Here are our Patrons - https://www.numberphile.com/patrons Numberphile is created by Brady Haran