As a student transferring to Sacramento State this semester, diving into major-related classes was something to look forward to. Much to my dismay, after two long years of jumping through hoops, yet another requirement to complete appeared – the Writing Placement for Juniors.

According to the program’s website, the WPJ – or its equivalent Writing for GWAR Placement courses (ENGL 109W or the multilingual 109M course) – is how Sac State students fulfill the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement. The GWAR is mandatory in the California State University system; its goal “is for students to demonstrate their proficiency at writing in an academic setting at an upper-division level.”

In addition to the $25 exam fee, students who live outside the Sacramento area are forced to commute, spending a significant amount of money on gas.

Furthermore, the exam must be completed at Sac State. This means that students who have taken a similar exam at another institution must retake it upon enrolling.

This was the case for junior biology major Solida Nathan Nay, who was forced to take the WPJ even though he had completed the GWAR requirement at CSU Stanislaus.

“I don’t see why the score I received at Stan State couldn’t transfer over when it’s basically the same thing. So not only was it a waste of time it was a waste of money, but moreso time, which is more important than money,” Nay said.

Interestingly enough, although Nay is upset his GWAR scores did not transfer from Stanislaus, he said he feels exams such as the WPJ are necessary to ensure students are competent writers.

Senior liberal studies major Remedios Murillo said he feels the exam is stressful but necessary.

“I think it’s great that they have it,” Murillo said. “We really do need it.”

While it is important for students to demonstrate competency in writing in order to graduate, the WPJ is an additional step students don’t need. Lower-division courses are designed to teach students the skills needed to take upper-division classes. If a student completes these courses he or she should be well prepared to take any upper-division course.

Even though the WPJ is intended to help students enroll in an appropriate writing course, most students can assess their strengths as writers on their own without the need to take an exam or a course.

The WPJ is yet another example of a time-consuming requirement that adds to the already-heavy burden of university cost and stress.

Catalina Carapia-Aguillon can be reached at [email protected]