Many students hear the letters WST but don’t know exactly what that means and students who know what those letters mean don’t have very positive things to say about the writing skills test they must take to graduate.

Since 1977, the California State University Chancellor’s office has required all students to satisfy the University Writing Skills Requirement (UWSR) in order to demonstrate university-level writing skills and receive a degree. To fulfill this requirement, students can either pass the Writing Skills Test (WST) or pass alternate writing courses approved by the university. Many students choose to take the test. The WST is an essay students must write to show critical thinking and writing abilities.

Previously, students were actually allowed to apply for graduation without completing the writing test, but that has changed.

In March 2015, the Committee on Instruction and Curriculum recently created a new policy that does, “not allow students who have not begun to satisfy the UWSR to file to graduate,” according to Donna Wiley, Interim Associate Vice President of the Academic Programs and Graduate Studies. The policy is now in effect this Winter Quarter 2016 for students filing to graduate.

According to a letter from the Committee on Instruction and Curriculum dated December 2014, many students leave the the Writing Skills Requirements until their last quarter and end up having to postpone their graduation. This prolongs the time it takes to graduate and affects the university’s “four year” and “six year” graduation rates.

“I took the computer test, I don’t know how they grade all of the essays, but I think it’s flawed,” said senior communications major Alex Boucher. “I had a choice of two prompts which were based on a why, or why not premise where I had to agree or disagree. I took a workshop after I didn’t pass the test a first time, it was about an hour and a half long, taught by an English professor. They gave examples of how students fail the test and also mentioned to write six paragraphs.”

The WST can either be a paper or computerized test. The $25 paper version is offered two times a month and the $50 computer version is offered nine to 11 times a month. Students can take the test at one of Cal State East Bay’s three locations.

A score of Clear Competence — eight — must be achieved in order to pass. Students have 90 minutes to develop an argumentative essay. The essay must contain an introduction with a thesis, three to four supporting reasons, a counterargument and a conclusion, according to the CSUEB website.

“Two readers grade the paper and score it,” Testing Assistant Sarah Bahadur said. “If they don’t agree, the essay goes to a third reader.”

Interim Chair of the English Department Sarah Nielsen said, “My understanding is that the policy changed because a lot of students weren’t aware of the University Writing Skills requirement or were putting off taking the WST or the portfolio classes and trying to meet the requirement during their last quarter of study.”

Once students have completed 90 units, they must decide which route they will take to meet the UWSR. If students attempt to complete this requirement before 90 units, it will not count. However, students should not wait too long. According to the CSUEB WST website, “Delaying this requirement may jeopardize your ability to graduate in a timely fashion.”

If students don’t pass it on the first try, they have up to two chances to try and pass it after their first attempt. Students who fail the test both times are required to enroll in a first-tier course, English 3000 or 3001. If students then receive Clear Competence on their portfolio, they will have satisfied the writing requirement. If students receive developing competence, they must enroll in and pass a second-tier course English 3003, MKTG 3495 or SCI 3010.

Some students may be exempt from the UWSR, however, most undergraduate students are not.