A Day Late and a Dollar Short

In cultural affairs, California often leads the nation--what happens here will eventually make it over the Sierra and into the rest of the country.  In education, however, California often lags the rest of the country, whether the ideas be good or bad.

A couple days ago I wrote a post that referenced the fact that CSU and UC campuses are eliminating the SAT and ACT in admissions decisions, making the entire process a subjective free-for-all.  MIT already tried that and is switching back:

After careful consideration, we have decided to reinstate our SAT/ACT requirement for future admissions cycles. Our research shows standardized tests help us better assess the academic preparedness of all applicants, and also help us identify socioeconomically disadvantaged students who lack access to advanced coursework or other enrichment opportunities that would otherwise demonstrate their readiness for MIT. We believe a requirement is more equitable and transparent than a test-optional policy. In the post below —  and in a separate conversation with MIT News today —  I explain more⁠ about how we think this decision helps us advance our mission.

How long will it be before California's taxpayer-funded universities realize the obvious?