Sen. Bill Cassidy, chair of the Senate HELP Committee, sent letters to 35 selective colleges and universities requesting math-placement data for incoming first-year students from fall 2019 through fall 2025. The inquiry follows a University of California San Diego internal report showing a large increase in freshmen needing remedial math and raises questions about factors such as pandemic disruption, grade inflation and removal of SAT/ACT requirements. Cassidy’s letters ask institutions to detail placement policies, math courses referenced in the data, and whether standardized tests are required—pressuring campuses to justify admissions and remediation practices. The probe elevates federal scrutiny over academic preparedness and could prompt policy responses from state and institutional leaders concerned about remediation costs, retention, and curricular alignment between K–12 and higher education.