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Change in Regents' test policy affects many freshmenBy Jeffery Barwick
The Regents' Test was used as a graduation test for students nearing 45 credit hours. According to Dr. Diane Langston, chair of academic support, the new policy is intended to identify early students who may need help with reading and writing skills in order to graduate on time. Langston says that there is no penalty for failing the Regents' Test when taken this semester while in English 1101, but in the future there will be. Many students were required to take the Compass test before being able to start classes. The Compass test and the Regents test sound very similar, but are very different. The Compass test is used to identify what help a student may need before being allowed to enroll in college-level courses. The Regents' Test is used to see if the soon-to-be graduate is literate. Ali Badruddi, a general studies major from Rome said "Although the change is a bit sudden, it is good to take the pressure off right now instead of later." According to LaNelle Daniel, English coordinator, the Regents' Test consists of two parts, reading and writing. Students are given 60 minutes per section. To pass the reading section a score of 61 or higher is needed. The writing section has three scores�one, two and three, with one being failing, two being average and three being above average. All that is needed for the test is a No. 2 pencil, a black ink pen and a dictionary. "My main suggestion for the students is for them not to get nervous, stay calm, think about the essays before writing and do an outline," says Phyllis Chunn, the Rome assessment center coordinator, "and for the reading section just stay calm and pay close attention." There are reading and writing workshops for students taking the Regents' Test, the dates for these workshops are: Regents' reading workshop Oct. 22 at 1 p.m. in Walraven-202, and Regents' writing workshop Oct. 18 at 2 p.m. in Lakeview-129. These workshops are open and free to all students taking the Regents' Test. The test results should be back towards the end of the semester. Daniel also said, "I encourage the students who are due to take the Regents' test to take it seriously. The test results will go on the students' transcripts, so it is important that they are successful. Everyone should practice good test taking skills. I highly recommend the workshops that will be available each term on both the Rome and Cartersville campuses."
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Many English 1101 students will be taking the Regents' Test later this month due to changes in policy by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents.
Under the old policy students were usually not tested during their first semester.