According to ACT, one of the major standardized testing organizations, students entering college in 2020–2021 with a 3.0 GPA had a 52–55% chance of being placed into remedial math. Three years before, students with the same GPA had only a 38% chance.

In fall 2024, Harvard created a new five-day-per-week math course specifically for students arriving with algebra gaps despite passing AP Calculus in high school. George Mason University revamped its entire summer remedial program in 2023 after discovering incoming students couldn't handle basic algebra. UC Berkeley, which never offered anything below calculus, launched its first precalculus course in 2024.

Across the University of California system, the situation is dramatic. Berkeley and UCLA have seen students unprepared for precalculus double or triple in five years. The UC San Diego report reveals the most detailed picture yet: their remedial math enrollment increased thirtyfold between 2020 and 2025, reaching 900 students or 12% of the incoming class. Here's what makes this shocking: 25% of those remedial students had perfect 4.0 math GPAs in high school. Half completed Precalculus or Calculus. The correlation between high school math grades and actual readiness? Just 0.25, basically random.

This disconnect isn’t unique to UCSD: it is part of a broader national pattern that universities are now being forced to confront. Even elite universities are responding. MIT, Yale, Dartmouth, and Brown all reinstated standardized testing stating that grades alone can't tell them who is prepared.

Three things happened at once.

Covid-19 Pandemic
The pandemic devastated math learning. Remote instruction failed for math more than any other subject. California data shows 11th-grade math proficiency dropped sharply in 2020 and still hasn't recovered. Schools serving low-income students were hit hardest and recovered slowest.

Test-optional Admissions
Standardized tests disappeared. When universities dropped SAT/ACT requirements in 2020, they lost their best predictor of math readiness. Admissions offices now rely entirely on transcripts, which leads to the third problem.

Grade Inflation
High school grade inflation went into overdrive. The UCSD report found the probability that all California high schools maintain comparable grading standards is less than 0.01%. Some schools consistently send students with high grades who test into elementary-school-level math. Meanwhile, pandemic stress pushed many teachers to inflate grades even further. 

The result of these factors combined? Your transcript might say you are ready for engineering. The reality could be very different.

Why UCSD was Hit Harder

UCSD faces an extra challenge. Since 2022, the university has admitted far more students from under-resourced California schools than any other UC campus except UC Merced. About one-third of UCSD's entering class came from these schools, compared to under 20% at Berkeley and UCLA. These high schools were hit hardest by pandemic learning losses, and between 2022 and 2024, students from these schools made up 60-68% of those needing remedial math at UCSD. As a result, 1 in 8 admitted students now place into pre-college math at UCSD.

More colleges and universities are developing math readiness indices to assess preparation more accurately. For example, San José State University (SJSU) weighs the math GPA in addition to the overall GPA for engineering admissions. The City University of New York (CUNY) uses a Mathematics Placement Index based on high school performance patterns.

UC San Diego is implementing the most detailed solution: a Math Index starting with 2025-26 applications. This statistical model predicts whether applicants will need remedial math based on their transcript patterns, course rigor, and which high school they attended.

The UCSD Math Index will look at your grades in Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. It examines whether you took Calculus and Precalculus versus Statistics. It checks how recently you took math and how your math GPA compares to your overall grades. And it uses historical data showing which high schools consistently send students with inflated grades. If a student is predicted to need extensive remediation, they might still be admitted but placed in a less math-intensive major where they can actually succeed.

If you are applying to selective colleges or considering STEM or any major that requires extensive math, your strategy depends on where you are in the process. High school students can build a stronger foundation now, while admitted students need to assess their readiness and plan accordingly.

If You Are Still in High School 

• Take math every year through senior year. Gaps are red flags. Prioritize Calculus over Precalculus, and Precalculus over Statistics. At selective universities, Calculus has become expected for competitive STEM admission.

• Consider dual enrollment if your school doesn't offer AP Calculus. Community college calculus courses with official transcripts carry more weight than high school grades.

• Take AP exams and report your scores. Even if you don't score as high as you hoped, AP scores provide standardized verification. Scores of 3 or higher on Calculus AB or BC may exempt you from placement testing. 

• Calculus is the gold standard. AP Calculus AB or BC demonstrates serious preparation. AP exam scores provide standardized proof that carries more weight than grades. These scores can let you skip placement testing entirely and start directly in calculus.

• Be realistic in your applications. If you struggled with Algebra II concepts but got good grades, math readiness indices will likely detect that. Choose alternate majors thoughtfully rather than only listing competitive engineering programs.

After You Have Been Admitted

• Take placement testing seriously. Many universities now require it by June 1st. Complete diagnostic assessments early (by May 15 if offered) to identify areas needing review.

• Consider summer community college courses if you place into remedial math. Courses covering pre-algebra, elementary algebra, intermediate algebra, and geometry can help you start higher. The difference between starting in remedial math versus precalculus could mean graduating in four years versus six.

• Understand Bachelor of Arts versus Bachelor of Science options. BA programs oftentimes have fewer or lower-level math requirements than BS programs. If your placement shows gaps, a BA might be a better path than struggling through a math-intensive BS program.

Certain patterns signal potential trouble with a student’s math performance:

• Stopping math after junior year is a major disadvantage for STEM majors that expect continuous math through high school.

• Taking Statistics instead of Calculus in senior year is a red flag. Statistics is valuable, but it doesn't build the algebraic foundations STEM courses require. Engineering, computer science, physics, and data science programs expect Calculus.

• Declining math grades in advanced courses suggest you may struggle with college-level work, even if your final grades look acceptable.

• Attending a school with known grade inflation means your transcript will be examined more carefully based on historical placement data.

America’s math crisis is impossible to ignore. High school grades no longer guarantee real preparation, and universities are seeing the consequences firsthand. That is why colleges from Harvard to the University of California are rebuilding how they evaluate math readiness. The aim is not tougher admissions, but preventing students from being placed into majors where they are unlikely to succeed.

If you are aiming for STEM, the message is simple: your transcript is not enough; your actual skills matter. Calculus (and especially AP exam scores) serves as the clearest signal of readiness. Continuous math through senior year matters. It is better to be honest about your math foundation up front than to end up in courses you can’t pass, losing time and money without getting any closer to graduating.

Math-readiness tools like UCSD’s new Math Index aren’t about gatekeeping. They are about making sure you start your college journey in a major where you can succeed, grow, and graduate without losing years to remediation. The system is changing because it needs to. The smartest thing you can do is prepare accordingly, understand where you truly stand, and choose a path aligned with your real foundation.