The Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement exam will be once again required for students at Long Beach State after it was postponed following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Students were expected to take the exam during the fall 2020 semester but it was postponed due to health and safety protocols surrounding the coronavirus.
However, with the return of select in-person classes for the fall 2021 semester, the GWAR exam was put back into effect. GWAR advisor Cynthia Pastrana said the GWAR Placement Exam was also imposed during this year’s summer classes.
According to GWAR guidelines, to obtain a degree from CSULB, all students must demonstrate “upper-division competence in academic writing in English by satisfying the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement.”
“It was a bit overwhelming at first because I haven’t written a paper since 2016,” junior Alexander Moya said. “But honestly it really wasn’t a big deal. It’s super easy, and I should have no problem passing it.”
Students who transferred to CSULB during the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters were waived from partaking in the GPE without interrupting their graduation plans.
According to the university, the impacted student groups, which includes those who have earned 30 or more units by winter 2021, are “waived from the exam and allowed to progress to their required Writing Intensive course once they have completed 60 units.”
“I’m currently taking a history class for my writing course requirements, but I had no idea the test was even a thing,” senior Emily Lowry said. “If a student isn’t comfortable with writing, perhaps the test would help them decide if it’s something they would like to do, but even then most majors already require a lot of reading and writing.”
While some students have had no issue with the GWAR, students such as sophomore Aaron Chadwick, don’t see the reason for having to take it as a graduation requirement.
“I have already taken multiple English classes in my other college before transferring,” Chadwick. “I would think that is sufficient enough to prove I know how to write an essay. I don’t see why the GWAR is important for me.”
The next GWAR Placement Exam will be offered on Friday, Oct. 29 online and Saturday, Oct. 30 in person. Students must register for either option before Friday, Oct. 15. The university will also offer free GPE preparation workshops prior to the exam.