School of Literature, Communication, and Culture

The

Regents' Testing Program

Questions & Answers

1. What is this test and why do I have to take it?

The Regents' Test is a timed test of reading and writing skills. It is required by the Board of Regents for all students seeking an undergraduate degree from a University System of Georgia institution.

The test consists of two sections. In one, you will be asked to read selected passages and answer multiple choice questions about the passages focusing on vocabulary, reading comprehension, and analysis. In the other, you will be given four essay topics to choose from and you will be asked to write an essay on one of the topics.

2. How important is the Regents' Exam?

You cannot receive an Associate or Baccalaureate degree from the University System of Georgia unless you satisfy the requirements of the exam.

3. When will I be scheduled to take the exam?

Students receive an e-mail message from the Registrar inviting them to take the Regents' Exam after they have earned 10 hours of college credit, including AP, Joint Enrollment, and transfer credits. All new students should be invited to take the test during their first or second terms of attendance at Georgia Tech.

4. Could I have already satisfied the Regents' requirements without taking this test?

Some scores from nationally administered tests may be used to satisfy the Regents' requirements. They are listed below.

The READING requirement of the Regents' Exam can be satisfied with:

The ESSAY requirement of the Regents' Exam can be satisfied with:

NOTE: Scores must be from a national administration of the SAT or ACT. Scores from institutional SAT or residual ACT tests will NOT be acceptable for this purpose.

TRANSFER STUDENTS: If you are a transfer student and believe you have test scores that would fulfill Regents' Test requirements, you will need to provide a copy of your test scores from the testing agency indicating that it was a national administration. Please bring your scores to room 104 of the Administration Building (Tech Tower) between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM Monday through Friday.

5. I think I took a similar test in high school or in another state. Does this count?

No. You must complete this specific test.

6. How will I be notified about the date, time, and place for the exam?

You will receive an e-mail notice when you have been invited to take the test. You must then log onto OSCAR to view your specific test date, time and place. Any future test assignment will display. Test results will also display on this page once the exams are graded.

Instructions:

7. How long is the exam?

The exam lasts two hours: 60 minutes for each section.

Non-native speakers of English are often eligible for extended time (90 minutes per section). To find out if you qualify for extra time, and to request extra time, contact Craig Womack (craig.womack@registrar.gatech.edu).

8. What should I bring with me to the exam?

You should bring the following:

NOTE: Your essay will NOT be rated if it is written in pencil or non-standard ink colors. The essay must be written in blue or black ink. White-Out is not allowed, but you may use erasable ink.

NOTE: You will be allowed to use your dictionary during the final 15 minutes of the essay exam. You will NOT be allowed to use it during the reading exam. You cannot share your dictionary with another student.

9. How is the exam graded?

Tests are graded off campus. The reading portion of the exam is multiple choice and scan sheets are used. Currently, a scaled score of 61 is a passing score. The essay portion is graded by three independent graders. Each grader will independently rate your essay on a scale of 1 to 3. The essay must receive a grade of 2 or higher from at least two of the graders in order to pass. You can read more about the scoring procedures at the following website: http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwrtp/Instructions_for_Scoring_RTP_Essays_January_2006.doc

10. What types of topics appear on the essay exam?

The essay topics typically ask you to discuss you life-experiences and/or your opinions. Some questions may require general knowledge of society, politics, history, literature, or other subjects. You will always have four topics to choose from, so consider your options and choose the topic you know most about. You also can prepare for the essay exam by reading The Complete List of Approved Regents' Essay Topics.

11. What are the standards used to rate the essays?

The Testing Subcommittee of the University System Academic Committee on English provides essay raters with the following basic, but not exhaustive, guidelines:

1: The “1” essay fails to demonstrate competence. It has any one of the following problems to an extraordinary degree or it has several to a limited degree:

  • It lacks a central idea
  • It lacks a clear organizational plan
  • It does not develop its points or develops them in a repetitious, incoherent, or illogical way
  • It does not relate directly to the assigned topic
  • It contains several serious grammatical errors
  • It contains numerous mechanical errors
  • Ordinary, everyday words are used inaccurately and unidiomatically
  • It contains a limited vocabulary so that the words chosen frequently do not serve the writer’s purpose
  • Syntax is frequently rudimentary or tangled
  • The essay is so brief that the rater cannot make an accurate judgment of the writer’s ability

2: The “2” essay meets the following basic criteria:

  • It has a central idea related directly to the assigned topic and presented with sufficient clarity that the reader is aware of the writer’s purpose.
  • The organization is clear enough for the reader to perceive the writer’s plan.
  • The paragraphs coherently present some evidence or details to substantiate the points.
  • The writer uses ordinary, everyday words accurately and idiomatically and generally avoids both the monotony created by series of choppy, simple sentences and the incoherence caused by long, tangled sentences.
  • Although the essay may contain a few serious grammatical errors and several mechanical errors, they are not of sufficient severity or frequency to obscure the sense of what the writer is saying.

3: The “3” essay shows distinction.  It meets all and exceeds most of the criteria for a “2.”  The ideas are expressed freshly and vividly, and the essay arouses the reader’s interest to a greater extent that the typical “2” essay.

In general, when you write your essay, you should take care to do the following:

12. What are the grading procedures?

All essays from throughout the state are sent to a central office where they are mixed thoroughly and redistributed into packets sent to grading centers throughout the state. At the grading centers, the essays are read "blind" by three separate composition instructors from the University System who read and rate each essay holistically. The readers do not know who wrote the essays, what schools the essay writers attend, or what ratings others instructors might have given the essays. In addition, the readers make no marks on the actual essays themselves. Because the essays are not marked and the ratings are concealed, each reader evaluates each essay without any outside influence.

For each essay, readers record a mark of "1 - Failing," "2 - Pass," or "3 - High/Superior Pass" on a data processing sheet. Then, a computer tabulates the results. Two out of three readers must assign an essay a grade of 2 or higher for an essay to receive a passing grade.

13. Can I see my test after grading is complete?

You can make an appointment to review your essay with Dr. Scott Banville in Skiles 316 or Dr. Shannon Dobranski in Skiles 331. To request an appointment, e-mail Scott Banville or Dr. Dobranski. Place the words "Regents' Essay Exam" in your subject line, and include in your e-mail your name, your student number, and the date on which you took the exam.

You cannot see your reading test, but you can request your overall score by e-mailing Dr. Banville or Dr. Dobranski. Place the words "Regents' Reading Exam" in your subject line, and include in your e-mail your name, your student number, and the date on which you took the exam.

14. How will I know if I passed the exam?

Written notification will be sent to your Georgia Tech e-mail account. You also can access the information via OSCAR.

Instructions:

  • Go to https://oscar.gatech.edu
  • Select "Secured Access Login"
  • Select "Student Services and Financial Aid"
  • Select "Student Records"
  • Select "View GT and Regents' Data"

NOTE: If you were registered for RGTR 1098 or RGTE 1099, you will receive a course grade of "S" if you passed the Regents' Exam and a course grade of "U" if you did not.

15. What is the procedure for appealing a failing essay grade?

To appeal a failing grade on the Regents' Essay Exam, you first must have received at least one passing grade. Contact Dr. Banville or Dr. Dobranski to find out about your scores.

 

Additional Information and Resources

Georgia State University: Regents' Exam Program General Info

Georgia Tech Registrar's Office: Frequently Asked Questions

Preparation

The Essay Portion

Organizing the Essay

Analyzing and Answering the Questions

List of Approved Regents' Test Essay Topics

The Reading Portion

Description

 

Practice Reading Test with Feedback for Answers

Rating Information

Essay Scoring Manual for Raters

 

Grading Procedures, Criteria, and Questions

 

Sample Rated Essays

Home

Please direct any questions regarding RGTR 1098, RGTE 1099, or the Regents' Exam to

Dr. Scott Banville or Dr. Shannon Dobranski.

 

                                                  © 2006 LCC at The Georgia Institute of Technology