Jessie Ryan Warns Against Reinstating the SAT in The New York Times

Publication: New York Times
By: Alan Blinder and Mark Arsenault
Date: August 24, 2026

The New York Times featured Campaign for College Opportunity President Jessie Ryan in its coverage of the national debate over standardized testing in college admissions and the University of California’s ongoing review of whether to reinstate the SAT and ACT. The article examines questions around college readiness, admissions requirements, and how universities can best prepare students to succeed.

Representing the Campaign’s perspective before the UC Board of Regents, Jessie warned that reinstating the SAT is “absolutely the wrong solution to an undefined problem.” Pointing to stable or improving retention and graduation rates since UC eliminated standardized testing, she urged university leaders to focus on supporting students rather than introducing additional barriers to admission.

“If, in fact, we want to address college preparation, we should be looking not at becoming more selective, but being more supportive to students,” Jessie told the Regents.

The Campaign continues to advocate for evidence-based admissions policies that strengthen college preparation and student success while protecting equitable access to California’s public universities.