FAQs about the Drew Writing Requirement

F.A.Q.s about the Drew CLA writing requirement

"Someone told me I could just send a paper to the English Department and that would get me out of writing. Is that true?"

I'm glad you asked, because this rumor is not true. We used to consider petitions to exempt people from writing on the basis of a paper written for another class; however, most petitions were denied, so we discontinued the practice.
It is our belief that everyone can gain something from a writing class. Writing is an essential part of every career, too, so we don't want anyone to miss out.

"I took a writing course at another college before I came to Drew, have I satisfied the requirement?"

ONLY if the Registrar has notified you in writing that this is the case. To apply for transfer credits to substitute for the requirement, go to the Registrar's office, fill out the transfer form for the course, and submit a copy of your syllabus along with the form to the Registrar's office.
By the way, you can still take English 1 or English 2 if you'd like to do so once you get a sense of the expectations at Drew.

None. You need to take whatever course the Registrar's Office says you must take. There is no longer any appeal process. If you have questions about this, please talk to Registrar Tate.

"I received a letter from the Registrar saying that the course I took was not equivalent to a Drew composition course so I must still take a course at Drew in order to satisfy the requirement. How do I appeal this decision?"

You cannot. There is no longer any appeal process. If you have questions about this, please talk to Registrar Tate.

"I took a writing course on a college campus taught by my high school teacher while I was in high school, have I satisfied the requirement?"

No. Courses taught by people who are not college faculty cannot be transferred in to Drew (either for General Education credit or to satisfy a requirement).

"I earned a 4 or a 5 on the AP English Literature exam. Have I satisfied the requirement?"

If you have submitted your scores to the Registrar's office and they have been accepted, you are exempt. (A score of 4 or 5 on the AP Examination in English Language or Literature substitutes for a course and satisfies the Writing Requirement.) To find out whether this information has been recorded in your file in the registrar's office, call Carol Gates (973-408-3247).
By the way, you can still take English 1 or English 2 if you'd like to do so once you get a sense of the expectations at Drew.

"I earned a 720 on the SAT II Subject Examination in English Literature. Have I satisfied the requirement?"

If you have submitted your scores to the Registrar's office and they have been accepted, you are exempt. (A score of 710 or above on the SAT II Subject Examination in English Language or Literature substitutes for a course and satisfies the Writing Requirement.) To find out whether this information has been recorded in your file in the registrar's office, call Carol Gates (973-408-3247).
By the way, you can still take English 1 or English 2 if you'd like to do so once you get a sense of the expectations at Drew.

"I earned a 5 on the International Baccalaureate Examination in English. Have I satisfied the requirement?"

If you have submitted your scores to the Registrar's office and they have been accepted, you are exempt. (A score of 5 or above on the IB Examination in English substitutes for a course and satisfies the Writing Requirement.) To find out whether this information has been recorded in your file in the registrar's office, call Carol Gates (973-408-3247).
By the way, you can still take English 1 or English 2 if you'd like to do so once you get a sense of the expectations at Drew.

"I received a letter telling me that I did not have to take English 1 in the fall semester/I was bumped from English 1 in the fall semester, does this mean I don't need to satisfy the requirement?"

No. This simply means that you must re-register for English 1 in the Spring semester.

"I received a letter telling me I could take English 2 instead of English 1, have I satisfied the requirement?"

No. This simply means that you may decide to take English 2 instead of English 1 in the Spring semester. (Please discuss this with your advisor, or feel free to take a writing sample to the Director of Composition for her input--call Sandra Jamieson at 973-408-3499 to schedule an appointment.)

"I seem to qualify for exemption, but I'd really like to take a writing class anyway. High school writing seems to differ from college writing. Is there a class for me?"

You're right. College papers tend to demand different writing skills than high school papers. You are very wise to decide to take a college-level writing course, and we designed English 2 just for people like you! The course is offered as a module each spring semester, in the first half of the semester and again in the second half. Contact Sandra Jamieson (973-408-3499) for more information.

"The day I took the SAT exams I was sick, so my writing placement doesn't really reflect my true writing skills. Is there any way to be placed in a different writing course?"

We recognize that some people's SAT scores do not reflect their writing abilities for reasons ranging from sickness to poor test taking skills. Students who believe this to be true in their case may take an alternative placement examination to determine whether they should be placed into English 1-A, English 1, or English 2. This examination is untimed, and will be offered during fall orientation and by appointment during the drop/add period of Fall and Spring semesters.

This examination will NOT exempt anyone from the college writing requirement. It is simply a placement examination.

No. Sorry. But try to think of perfect writing skills as a desirable outcome of a high quality liberal arts education, rather than as something you would want to "get out of!"

Last updated, May 8, 2002.