Steve McGuire
A new report shows that 30% of Berkeley Calculus students are severely underprepared. These students have “non-passing rates as high as 46%.” From 2021-2023, “over 800 students (or 24% of the total population) did not pass their Calculus I classes.” Of the 500 among them who were tested for proficiency, “-63.6% came from the proficiency tier with severe preparation deficiency (0-2); -30.2% came from the proficiency tier of underprepared students (3-6); -6.2% came from the proficiency tier of prepared students (7-8).” “Obscuring these preparation gaps does not provide access; it provides a near-guaranteed introduction to failure for our most vulnerable students.”
Steve McGuire
"Current admissions practices do not provide a sufficiently reliable check on mathematical readiness for STEM majors." Over 280 University of California STEM faculty have signed an open letter calling on the Board of Regents to reinstate standardized testing in admissions:
