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Students who have not yet met the Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) must attempt the WPE once.
Undergraduates :
Undergraduates must attempt the WPE by the end of the semester in which they attain 65 units , or a hold will be placed on their records and they will not be allowed to register for classes until after the test is completed. Undergraduates must attempt the WPE before filing a Request to Graduate, and they must pass the test to receive their degrees. Transfer students must attempt the WPE during their first semester of attendance or a hold will be placed on all future registration for classes. Certain impacted programs may require a passing score on the WPE prior to acceptance. Check the CSULB Catalog for your major.
Graduate Students :
Master's candidates must attempt the WPE during their first semester of attendance, or a hold will be placed on all future registration for classes. The WPE must be passed prior to Advancement to Candidacy. Certificate candidates must pass the WPE as a requirement for completion of the program.
Note to both undergraduate and graduate students :
A GRE or GMAT analytical essay writing score of 4 or higher can now be used to meeting the writing requirement in place of the WPE. Students should submit their scores directly to Enrollment Services, Brotman Hall Room 123.
Also Note :
Registration for the WPE does not release a WPE registration hold. On test days, all students receive a Test Attendance Verification Form which can be used to release holds. Details regarding the use of this form are given to students when they test. Students who have WPE testing holds on their accounts can file an appeal to have a hold temporarily removed. Appeal forms are located outside of the Testing Office in the Bulletin/Registration materials rack. After appeals have been submitted, approval or denial of the request takes 5-10 business days. A request for a semester's postponement of the WPE for compelling reasons (e.g., studying abroad, family illness), are considered by Test Officers in Testing and Evaluation Services.
PLEASE NOTE THIS IMPORTANT POLICY !
Students who do not pass the WPE after two attempts are not allowed to test a third time until they seek advisement at the Learning Assistance Center and obtain approval from a WPE Advisor. Please refer to "WPE Advisors and Preparation Courses" in this bulletin for contact information.
Students are allowed to test only once per semester. Please do not register for more than one test date a semester, there are NO REFUNDS.
You must now register for the Writing Proficiency Examination (WPE) on-line. To do this, click on this link WPE Registration. Complete the on-line WPE Registration Form as directed. Print and Mail the on-line form with a check or money order for $25. Payment and on-line form must be received in the Testing Office by the registration deadline. First class postage is required. You may also deposit your payment and on-line registration form in the drop box (postage unnecessary) outside of the Testing Office in Brotman Hall Room 216. The Testing Office must receive your payment and on-line registration form by 5:00pm on the deadline date.
You are not officially registered for the WPE until we receive your payment. Once we receive your payment, you will be sent an email confirmation that you are fully registered for the WPE.
Admission Tickets are mailed prior to the test to the address you indicated on-line. The admission ticket specifies your test date, time, and room assignment. If you do not receive your ticket by the Wednesday before the test date, be sure to call Testing and Evaluation Services at (562) 985-4007 for your room assignment. Test results are E-mailed and mailed six to eight weeks after the test date. Please do not register for the next test date, there are no refunds. Please make sure that CSULB has your preferred E-mail address. Students who do not pass the exam can request a copy of their essay from Testing and Evaluation Services. Essays will only be available for one year after the test date.
The WPE is offered twice each semester and once during the summer. The test consists of a 75-minute written essay response to an assigned topic. Including admission and instructions, expect to be in the testing room for up to two hours. No one may leave early. Saturday test takers are randomly assigned to the 8:00 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. session. In the event registration exceeds our testing capacity for two testing sessions, test takers will be randomly assigned to 8:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., or 1:30 p.m. Test dates and registration deadlines are listed below.
Test Dates |
Registration Deadlines |
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November 15, 2008
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October 24, 2008
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February 21, 2009
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January 30, 2009
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Please test as early as possible to avoid a hold on your registration, which will prevent you from registering for classes for the next semester. Standby registration is not available. If you need any assistance on the Saturday test date, go directly to the Assistance Station, the location of which appears in your ticket to the test.
The test fee of $25.00 must be in the form of a check or money order payable to CSULB . Include your student ID number on the check (top, center). Your canceled check is your receipt. Your check will be processed upon receipt, regardless of when your test date is. Money orders are available at the Bookstore.
You must test using the name for which you have a government-issued I.D. with a current, valid photo and signature . NO ONE WILL BE ADMITTED TO THE WPE WITHOUT ACCEPTABLE IDENTIFICATION, REGARDLESS OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES. The following forms of identification are currently acceptable for admission: California Driver's License, California Identification Card, U.S.A. Passport, U.S.A. Military I.D. or U.S.A. Naturalization Paper. A second form of I.D. may be requested of any examinee.
Please Note: A CSULB student identification card is not acceptable as the primary form of identification. It must be presented with at least one other form of positive photo-signature I.D.; in some cases it may be acceptable with a temporary driver's license, if that license has both a physical description and a signature. If you are uncertain whether your I.D. will be acceptable (e.g., out-of-state licenses or non-U.S.A. passports), bring your I.D. and your Admission Ticket to Testing and Evaluation Services before the test date. If it is accepted, a notation will be made on your Admission Ticket. If you cannot come in prior to the test date, bring your ticket and all available I.D. to the Assistance Station 30 minutes prior to your testing time.
Plan to arrive 30 minutes prior to your test time to allow for parking.
Bring your Admission Ticket, identification, pencils and a pen.
You may not use any aids when taking the test, such as a dictionary, scratch paper, white-out, paperback, or any other reading material.
You will be expected to comply with all written and oral testing regulations.
You will be assigned a seat upon admission to the testing room.
If you experience any difficulties on the day of the test, go directly to the Assistance Station.
YOU WILL NOT BE ADMITTED IF YOU ARE LATE
There are no refunds and no transfers of test dates. This policy reflects the fact that test materials, processing, and staffing costs are incurred for each examinee registered, whether the examinee actually takes the test or not. If you do not attend the appointment time on your Admission Ticket, you must completely reregister for the next test and pay the full fee.
If you require special accommodations such as extended time, or a writer or a computer due to a physical or learning disability, obtain a preliminary referral form from the office of Disabled Student Services in Brotman Hall 270 (phone 562-985-5401). From there, you will take your application to the High Tech Center in LA 5-173 (phone 562-985-8712). A counselor will discuss your accommodation needs and will issue a final referral form with the appropriate authorizations. DO NOT MAIL YOUR WPE REGISTRATION. Take your final referral form, test fee, and test registration form directly to the High Tech Center in LA 5-173 (phone 562-985-8712), where you will finalize your appointment time and receive an Admission Ticket. Testing is generally done on the same weekend and/or on the weekend following the published Saturday test date.
Non-Saturday testing is available for religious reasons only. You must provide documentation with your registration by the deadline. If you do not provide this, you will be automatically assigned to a Saturday test time.
WPE WORKBOOKYou can purchase the WPE Workbook at the Copy Center in the University Bookstore. The Copy Center is located on the first floor in the far right corner. The number of the Copy Center is (562) 985-5050. The workbook contains helpful information, a scoring guide, sample essay topics with student responses, and an analysis of the scoring of the sample student essays. The price of the workbook is $7.00.
FREE WPE WORKSHOPSFree workshops are offered in the two-week period prior to each test date. Pre-registration is not required. Workshops last about 3 hours. One workshop is especially helpful for students for whom English is a second language; however, both workshops are open to all students. The WPE Workbook is needed for the workshop. Exact date, time, and room information are usually determined one month prior to each test date. Call Testing and Evaluation Services at (562) 985-4006 for more information.
WPE ADVISORS AND PREPARATION COURSESIf you do not pass the WPE, you should make an appointment to see a WPE advisor at the Learning Assistance Center , Horn Center Room - 104, (562) 985-5350. Plan to bring your essay(s) with you to the appointment. WPE advisors will help you develop the skills necessary to improve your score, including referral for tutoring or course work. In addition, help is available at the Writer's Resource Lab located in LAB 212. Call 562-985-4329 for more information.
WPE Preparation courses, WPE Prep 010 and 020 , are one-unit, non-baccalaureate courses designed to help students prepare for the WPE.
WPE Prep 010 Level 1 is recommended for students who have not yet attempted the WPE or who have previously failed the test with a score of 8 or below.
WPE Prep 020 Level 2 is recommended for students who have earned a WPE score of 9 or 10. (NOTE: A passing score is 11 out of 18.)
For more information regarding WPE preparation courses, please contact the Program Coordinator at (562) 985-4217.
Three-unit courses are now available for students for whom English is a non- native language. These include:
ENG 301 , designed to improve oral fluency and application of skills to writing.
ENG 302 , designed to extend skills mastered in 301 with increased emphasis on written application. Students are referred to these courses by a WPE Advisor.
Under certain circumstances such as test anxiety or time stress, students who have not passed the WPE after two attempts may petition for extended time. Students who are approved will be given two hours (an additional 45 minutes) to complete the test. Request a petition form from Testing and Evaluation Services. Petition forms with accompanying documentation must be submitted at least one week prior to the registration deadline to allow time for processing. Petitioners who fail the WPE with extended time will not be eligible to petition for it again until they have completed a writing course with a grade of "C" or better or "Credit," or have followed recommendations of a WPE Advisor.
Students who do not pass the WPE after three attempts, have earned a score of 9 or 10, and who can provide the required documentation may qualify to petition for a waiver. The petition is available through the Office of the Dean in the College under which their department falls. Waivers are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Only extreme or unusual circumstances will warrant a waiver of the requirement.
FULFILLMENT OF THE GWAR TEST REQUIREMENT AT OTHER CSU CAMPUSES
CSULB will accept fulfillment of the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) if the requirement was met at another CSU campus prior to first enrollment at CSULB . Once enrolled at CSULB, students may not fulfill the requirement at another CSU campus.
Undergraduates need to provide Enrollment Services with an official transcript or score report or letter from the CSU campus where the requirement was fulfilled to receive credit. Documentation should be sent directly to the Supervisor of Evaluation and Graduation, Enrollment Services.
Graduates seeking a Master's degree or a certificate should provide documentation to the Supervisor of Evaluation and Graduation, Enrollment Services and the department's Graduate Advisor, during their first semester in attendance.
The test consists of one essay topic. You must obtain a score of 11 out of 18 to pass. Essay scores are final and will not be reevaluated.
SAMPLE ESSAY TOPIC
DIRECTIONS: You will have a total of 75 minutes to respond to the topic below. A time warning will be announced 10 minutes prior to the end of the test.
You will not be allowed to leave early.
Write an analytical essay in which you express your thoughts carefully, logically, and effectively.
Be sure to respond to all parts of the assignment.
Provide examples and evidence to support your ideas.
DONOT WRITE ON A TOPIC OTHER THAN THE ONE ASSIGNED BELOW
Several years ago, futurists predicted that, as a result of developing technology and automation, people in the U.S. would have much more leisure time in the future. However, a recent survey indicates that since the early 1980s the median number of hours worked by Americans has increased by 20 percent while the amount of leisure time available to the average person has dropped by 32 percent. According to the survey, this trend toward less and less leisure time has been steady and unwavering.
Discuss some possible causes and consequences of this trend.
Support your response with examples from your own reading, observation, or experience.
