Nearly 1 in 8 Freshmen at UC San Diego cannot do HS Math

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One in eight freshmen at UC San Diego place below high-school levels in math, according to a new report from the university’s Senate–Administration Workgroup on Admissions.

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The report shows a rapid change over just five years. Between 2020 and 2025, the number of incoming students whose math skills were below high school level rose nearly thirtyfold and 70% of those students fell below middle school levels. This roughly translates to about one in twelve members of the freshman class.

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UCSD’s remedial math program was not designed for this volume or for the kinds of gaps students now bring, according to the report. Before the pandemic, fewer than 100 first-year students enrolled in remedial courses.

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In contrast, 921 students were placed into remedial math classes in fall 2025, representing 11.8 percent of the freshman class. Instructors also found that a growing share of students arrived with gaps that trace back to middle-school and even elementary-school math, prompting UCSD to create an additional remedial course and broaden the curriculum.

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A quarter of students in remedial math got perfect high school scores.

The report points to several factors behind the decline. Statewide assessments show that 11th-grade math performance dropped during the pandemic and has not fully recovered. Chronic absenteeism remains high. At the same time, the elimination of SAT and ACT scores removed a consistent measure of math preparation.

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