The Signal

Issue date: 12/2/09 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: sxc.hu

The Writing Proficiency Screening Test (WPST) is a test that every undergraduate student at CSU Stanislaus has the pleasure of taking.

The WPST is a test designed to assess whether or not a student is ready to take an upper division writing proficiency (WP) course. This sounds like a great idea, right? Well, it might be if the test actually allowed the taker to showcase their writing skills at a college level.

I recently paid $30 to take the WPST and it was a waste of time and money. In my mind, it is an insult to any college student.

I recently took the WPST and the essay prompt required students to write about the worst job they could imagine and why. What a joke! If a student makes it into college not being able to write a decent essay, they should never have been accepted to the university.

I can honestly say that I probably had to write an essay on this in 7th or 8th grade. If high schools are passing students who do not know how to put together a well-organized essay and do not know how to properly use punctuation and grammar, there is something seriously wrong with the education system in America.

Communication Theory is the WP course the communication majors are required to take. Writing about the worst job I can think of is in no way going to assess if I am ready to write critically for that course.

If the WPST is going to be given at all, it should be given along with the English and Math assessments given before a student can even begin taking classes at CSU Stanislaus. If they fail, they should have to take a course that will help prepare them.

I feel like every class I have taken since I have entered college 3 years ago has helped me become the writer that I am today, and even though WP courses are supposed to be difficult, they are not much different from any writing class a student has taken before. The WP courses require students to think critically, know the format of an essay, and use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

WP courses are all upper division, so if after two years of college you still cannot do the things I mentioned, you probably should not be at a university. Also, if you take the WPST and fail twice, you can still take the WP course. That is just plain stupid! All that really tells the students is that the CSU system wants your money.

Also, the test allows 90 minutes to write this essay, and you cannot leave when you are finished. I, along with most people in the classroom, finished in about 30 minutes. It's not like I had anything else to do that day.

I just want to thank you WPST, for stealing my money, insulting me, and wasting my time.

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