What Happens If You Don’t Pass the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement

It is midnight, you are bent over your study desk, and you furiously move the pen to write an academic paper. Many ideas are swirling like clouds in your mind, but it is hard to translate them into adequate words. This happens because of your weak writing skills. Therefore, it is important to improve your writing proficiency to achieve academic success. 

The Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) is the best way to develop writing ability. Various universities introduce this requirement in the admission process, aiming to improve the students’ writing skills. But what if you don’t fulfil this requirement? Here, we’ll unfold what this requirement is and what happens if you don’t pass this course. Let’s get started.

Principal Lessons:

• The Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement is a mandated program that is designed to develop good writing skills among students before starting their graduation journey.
• GWAR focuses on writing proficiency, upper-division, and subject specialisation.
• Due to the unique structure of this assessment test, various students find it difficult to pass this test and face multiple consequences.
• The key academic consequence of this failure is missing the opportunity to attend the prestigious California State University.
• The financial consequences include debts, academic loans, and wasting the registration fee for GWAR.
• On the failure of the GWAR test, students face various professional consequences, among which the inability to grab career opportunities is the key drawback.
• Learn what the key reasons are behind the higher GWAR failure rate.
• See what the immediate actions and possible options are that you must consider after the failure.

What is the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement?

Cal Poly defines the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement as “It is a California State University-mandated program that aims to develop writing proficiency, particularly in college graduates.” Students who want to earn a baccalaureate degree must fulfil this requirement. 

The key purposes of this writing requirement are the following:

• Aim Proficiency: This course requires students to showcase advanced writing skills. With this, undergraduate students must show strong analytical thinking skills by presenting arguments effectively, organising information properly, and using grammar rules correctly. 
• Focus on Upper-Division: This requirement is typically introduced to be met at the upper-division level, which means that students in their junior and senior years have to complete this requirement. Generally, after completing their educational and writing courses, students need to be involved in this course.
• Discipline-Specific: GWAR courses give students the flexibility to write with specific genres, rules, and styles within their academic disciplines and desired future professions.

Below are some ways to satisfy the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement outlined by the California State University. 

• Passing a writing test in your desired discipline course of 100W with a better grade than ‘C’ (‘C’ not accepted).
• Students can give the Writing Skills Test (WST) before the Fall, and earn a waiver score to fulfil this requirement. However, this method is only applicable for those subjects who had permitted waiver scores before Fall. 
• Satisfying this requirement while matriculating from another CSU campus.

No matter how students have chosen to satisfy this writing requirement for the California State University, it is hard for them to fulfil this requirement. They can avail themselves of admission essay writing services and ensure the successful completion of a college essay. 

What are the Major Consequences of Not Passing GWAR?

The writing competency graduation test is the most important admission requirement of California State University. Many universities, including CSU, include this writing requirement in their admissions process. However, without completing this requirement, students may face serious consequences.

Below is a list of the most serious consequences that students may face for not passing GWAR.

1: Academic Implications

Getting admission to California State University is a dream of many students. However, most of them cannot complete their dream because they have not passed the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement. Apart from the inability to get admission in the CSU, not fulfilling this requirement has various other academic implications. 

Have a look at what these are:

• Students who chose the WST to satisfy the writing skills graduation assessment may fail to complete their subject courses, which eventually prevents the university from confirming their degrees. They need to retake or reattempt the subject-specific WST test at a later stage so that they can earn their degrees successfully.
• Another academic consequence of not passing the GWAR is that it may extend your program duration. 
• The rules of CSU are very strict for students, especially for those who are enrolled in WST during their degree program. This test can bring a break in their academic journey, as until you pass this requirement, you can proceed further.

How to Limit These Impacts?

To minimise all these serious academic consequences, you must follow the key strategies outlined below by the experts of Fast Assignment Help.

• Communicate with your teacher before giving WST at the California State University. They can help you understand this course requirement and help you succeed in it with confidence.
• You can consider the retake or resit option, as this time you have a better idea of what you need to pass this test.
• Taking this requirement seriously and understanding its impacts can be another effective step to complete it successfully. When you know how important this requirement is for polishing your writing skills, then you can better focus on this academic requirement.

 2: Financial Implications

Apart from the academic implications, there are various financial implications that students may consider if they don’t pass the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement. These financial implications further reduce the chances of pursuing higher education. 

The major financial impacts of failing GWAR are the following:

• Failing the GWAR forces students to retake the WST, which requires paying the assessment fee again. In some cases, students may even need to pay the full course fee if they fail the test.
• The other direct impact of this failure is that it makes the students ineligible to get government-backed loans, tuition fees, and other living costs.
• When students don’t get the loans from the government, then they have to rely on personal savings, private loans, or parents' financial support, which is often insufficient or unavailable. 
• Moreover, when students rely on private loans at higher interest rates, this financial burden puts them in long-term debt.

How to Prevent These Risks?

To overcome this financial strain, students can follow the tips below:

• They can consider student-aided programs offered by the banks. Under these programs, banks offer easy loans with minimum interest rates to students who can return within a long period.
• Another great way to reduce this financial strain is to look for the university’s resources. CSU introduced various policies to help students who fail to clear this writing exam.
• Students can seek support from other peers who have faced similar challenges and explore how they overcame them. 

3: Career and Professional Implications

If you don’t fulfil the University Writing Assessment Requirement, then it will not only prevent you from getting admission to CSU, but also impact you professionally. Are you wondering how this writing requirement brings professional implications? 

Let’s explore the consequences of this failure on the professional career.

• The GWAR course is an essential requirement for higher education, so when you don’t clear this course, it can become a reason to prevent you from starting your degree. This restraint will eventually delay your entry into the marketplace.
• Without fulfilling this writing requirement, you cannot get admitted to the California State University. This university is one of the most prestigious institutions, offering a wide range of academic and professional opportunities to students. If you fail in WST, then you will miss all these career opportunities.
• Various regulated professions have strict policies about the GWAR. In case of failing to complete this writing requirement, you can block your way to enter these fields entirely, which further limits your career options.

How to Stay on Track?

To overcome these professional barriers, below are some effective solutions:

• You can explore other writing courses that have the same strict writing criteria as GWAR has. These courses can help you improve your writing skills and grab the career opportunities associated with the writing requirement.
• Talk with the admission committee of the CSU to explore how flexible they are in this writing requirement criterion, and is there an alternative way to meet their requirements?
• It is good to take a gap year instead of giving a failed GWAR attempt. During this gap year, you can get enough time to improve your writing skills and gather all the essential information regarding this test.

Having examined the academic, financial, and professional consequences of not passing the GWAR, you can see how important this requirement is. Next, let’s look at the common reasons students fail this assessment.

Common Reasons Students Fail GWAR 

The Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) develops students’ abilities to transform their thoughts into meaningful words. While the primary purpose of this requirement is to polish critical thinking skills, it also enhances students' understanding of the genre, writing style, and conventions. 

Despite the significant importance of this writing course, various students fail in it. Are you curious to know the reasons behind this failure? We have outlined some reasons for failure in GWAR, suggested by the National Society of  High School Scholars. 

1: Poor Time Management

Many students fail in the GWAR because of poor time management skills. They fail to plan their writing course effectively as they don’t work according to their work schedule or day planner. As a consequence, they fail to submit their writing test on time, and if they submit it, they end up with a poorly-structured document.

Apart from poor time management, there are various other reasons why students don’t complete their GWAR on time. Check out what these are:

• Many students tend to start their GWAR at the eleventh hour, which makes them devastated while completing this academic document.
• Another reason is that many students start part-time jobs to meet their financial expenses, which leaves little time to conduct research and write a perfect document for this course.
• Procrastination is another prime reason that puts students in difficulty completing their GWAR on time. 

2: Weak Writing Skills

Another prime reason for not passing in GWAR is weak writing skills. No matter how much in-depth research you have conducted, you can never pass this course without good writing skills. To express your ideas effectively and ensure a synthesis paper, it is important to write the GWAR paper in a structured form.

Follow the tips below to write a perfect academic document to get admission in CSU:

• Don’t use jargon and complex words; instead, try to use simple words that are easy to understand.
• Most students don’t review their work and fail to meet the expected guidelines given by the CSU. Therefore, it is important to edit and proofread your document before the final submission.
• Write your entire paper in simple words, with a clear structure, and proper grammar usage.

3: Lack of Understanding of Subject

Poor understanding of the subject material is another reason for the failure of GWAR. This lack of understanding of basic concepts of the subject matter reflects throughout the writing test, and you end up earning below a C grade in this test. 

To overcome this issue, you must follow the tips below:

• Before starting to write, first read the guidelines provided by the California State University carefully.
• If you have any confusion regarding this test, you can approach the administration team of the university and clarify your doubts.
• Dedicate a significant amount of time to researching your subject matter and exploring various sources to collect authentic information. 
• Pay attention to keywords related to your subject material. This will help you build a strong foundation that will eventually lead you to write a perfect paper for the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement document.

Options and Next Steps After Failing in GWAR

Failing in the GWAR is not the end of your academic career; it can be a stepping stone in your educational success. You just take the next effective steps and consider the advanced options that can save you from this failure. 

Let’s have a glance at these immediate steps and possible options:

Effective Immediate Steps

After failing in your Graduation Exam Assessment Requirement, you should take the following effective steps.

• First things first, when you have come to know about your failure in GWAR, you must immediately read the official guidelines provided by the university and explore the limitations and requirements to retake this test.
• Another important action that you must take after your failure is to consult your academic advisor. They can provide you with personalised support and guide you in the right direction after this failure.
• Analysing your performance is another key factor that you must consider after your failure. When you understand why you failed? What sections of your document are weak? You can better evaluate the areas where you need to improve academically. 

Possible Options

After taking the immediate effective steps, the next thing is to consider the possible options to make sure that this failure doesn’t hinder your academic success.

• Check if there is a retake or resit option in the guidelines of  CSU. If yes, then inquire about everything about this option, so that this time you come up with complete preparation.
• Check if the university is offering alternative options of GWAR, such as a series of workshops or writing courses. If your writing skills are weak, then it is good to consider these alternative options, as they can pave the way for entering higher education.
• If resitting this exam is impossible for you, then consider another academic program or institution that best aligns with your educational goals.
• The best option is to seek support from the authentic admission essay writing companies. These writing agencies can help you improve your writing skills and overall academic performance before retaking the test. Moreover, their valuable feedback will ensure long-term competency in this writing assessment test.

Conclusion

The Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement is a CSU-mandated program designed to help students improve their writing skills before starting the baccalaureate journey. However, due to weak writing skills, many students are unable to pass this writing assessment.

This failure brings various academic, financial, and professional consequences that we have shared in this guide. With this, we also outlined the key reasons for this failure, including poor time management, weak writing skills, and inadequate understanding. Apart from that, we have also mentioned some immediate steps and possible options that you must consider if you experience failure. Our guide will become a guiding light to help you in completing the GWAR course successfully.

FAQs

How do Students Prepare for the GWAR Exam?

GWAR is not an ordinary writing test, as it requires exceptional writing and critical thinking skills. Therefore, to complete this requirement successfully, you must follow some key tips that we are going to mention below:

• Familiarise yourself with the scoring rubrics that the administrators of the GWAR will use to assess your writing. This familiarity will help you to structure your document according to the guidelines.
• Give various practice tests before sitting the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR). This will boost your confidence and help you with effective time management.
• Seek personalised feedback on your writing from professional writing agencies. This feedback will help you to identify your weak areas and improve your overall writing.
• Using the GWAR online resources is another great way to prepare for this test. These resources include online tests, instruction guides, and sample essays. By exploring these sources, you can gain a better understanding of how to structure your document.

Why is Writing Proficiency Required for Graduation? 

Academic life is nothing without good writing skills. These writing skills help students at every stage of their academic career, from high school to graduation. Below are some key reasons that will help you understand why college-level writing proficiency is essential for the graduation journey.

• Good writing proficiency helps you in structuring your thoughts into meaningful words.
• With good writing, you can improve your career prospects.
• Good writing skills eventually improve your communication skills.
• With good writing proficiency, you can showcase how strong your critical thinking skills are.
• It helps you in evaluating your weak areas and potential that are important for the graduation journey.

What Happens if You Fail the Graduation Writing Assessment? 

If you want to earn your degrees from the California State University, then passing the graduation writing assessment is an important requirement. In case of failure of this written assessment, you may face the following outcomes:

• You may retake the assessment or resit the exam in case you fail this assessment or test.
• If you earn a ‘C’ grade in this assessment test, then it can limit your resit options, and you will not be able to improve your grades or revert to your previous grades. This will impact your overall degree classification.
• The most important impact of the failure of this exam is that it can delay your overall graduation process, which leads to taking more time to earn your degree.

References:

1. Cal Poly. (n.d). Graduation Writing Requirement. https://writingandlearning.calpoly.edu/GWR.
2. California State University. (n.d). Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement. https://www.csun.edu/testing/tests-administered/graduate-writing-assessment-requirement-gwar
3. National Society of  High School Scholars. (30 Dec, 2023). Overcoming Fear of Academic Failure: Reasons Why Students Fail vs. Thrive. https://www.nshss.org/resources/blog/blog-posts/overcoming-fear-of-academic-failure-reasons-why-students-fail-vs-thrive/