Freshmen at the University of California Lack Strong Math Foundations, Sparking Debate: Is the American Education System Really as Reported?

Many incoming students at the University of California cannot solve middle school math problems, is this the so-called American education system?

November 27th news, five years after the University of California system abolished SAT scores, it has found that many new students are unable to complete even basic middle school math problems in entrance tests, and their basic level is far worse than expected by the university.

Assessment results from UC San Diego show that about one-eighth of the new students lack the required high school math level, struggling with even fractions, decimals, and basic algebra.

According to data provided by the university, the problem is not limited to a single major or a certain group, but a general trend.

After abolishing the SAT, universities rely more on high school grades and subjective evaluations. However, the quality of American secondary education varies greatly, and the grading standards differ significantly, leading to the loss of a unified reference for admission criteria.

At the same time, American primary and secondary school math teaching has been criticized for many years, with many states facing issues such as fragmented curricula, insufficient teachers, and declining rigor.

University lowered the threshold, and secondary schools reduced standards; the combination of both has led to so many new students being unprepared in basic subjects.

A more realistic issue is that once a large number of students have weak math foundations, universities must invest more resources in remedial classes, and even adjust the difficulty of professional courses.

Professions such as engineering, computer science, and economics are hit first, with learning curves becoming much steeper. For students, this is not making education more equitable, but rather discovering long-term missing basics only at the university stage, which actually increases inequality.

Many people praise the American education system, but reality shows that fundamental abilities are the real bottom line of education. Canceling exams and lowering thresholds will not automatically create talent.

Without solid foundations and a unified evaluation standard, no amount of packaging will help.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1849923329974280/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.